Safe sex ad makes the cut

“WOW‚ he’s so hot … I wonder if he’s circumcised,” are the words of a radio ad that has mother Nelisiwe Dhlamini hot under the collar.

The ad‚ aired on the SABC’s Ukhozi FM in July‚ is a public service announcement (PSA)‚ aimed at promoting voluntary medical male circumcision.

Dhlamini complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the ad was offensive and inappropriate for children – but the advertising watchdog gave it the green light.

The isiZulu ad features an adult conversation between two friends‚ Fikile and Mbhali‚ in a nightclub.

Fikile asks Mbhali why she took so long to join her‚ to which Mbhali replies she had been talking to a man.

Fikile says the man is attractive and Mbhali responds‚ saying that she wonders if he is circumcised.

Then Fikile asks‚ “Why are you wondering about that?” Mbhali replies‚ “Girl‚ I like my men to look sharp – with or without their clothes.”

A voice-over then states: “We are winning: circumcise and also use condoms.”

Dhlamini said that as a parent she was concerned that the reference to circumcised and uncircumcised penises was inappropriate for children.

According to Dhlamini there was a risk children might miss the health message the ad intended to communicate and want to experiment.

But the PSA’s creator‚ Com- munity Media Trust‚ said the ad was based on statistics which showed that voluntary medical male circumcision was crucial in the fight to control HIV.

It also pointed out there was no overt reference to genitalia in the ad. “The PSA does not use the word ‘penis’‚” it said.

The ASA said the aim was to promote medical male circumcision‚ which children were already exposed to.

Community Media Trust’s Jann Acutt said the advert was purely intended to promote voluntary male circumcision and the use of condoms.

“We were pleased that [the ASA] ruled against the complaint because we feel that the campaign is very important. We try to create PSAs people would enjoy listening to.”