‘Offensive’ ad back on air

AUCKLAND: An advertisement where two men discuss one’s wife’s breasts has been found offensive by the Advertising Standards Authority, but is back on air following an internal investigation.

In an ad for Wills Contracting on digital platforms and ThreeNow, which is owned by Mediaworks, two men discuss the breasts of one of their wives.

Mediaworks did not create the ad, which was supplied by Wills Contracting.

In the ad, the men discuss how she would need to use lifting services offered by Wills Contracting in order to give her breasts a lift.

The wife overhears, and responds by hitting her husband around the head with his hat.

Complainants said the ad was blatantly sexist, creepy and obscene.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) Complaints Board was unanimous in its view that the advertisement had not been prepared with a due sense of social responsibility and said it had met the threshold to offend against generally prevailing community standards.

A majority of the board also said the ad was likely to cause widespread offence over its use of stereotypes and portrayal of women.

The complaints were upheld, and Mediaworks suspended the use of the ad while it investigated and sent the video to the Commercial Approvals Bureau, who gave the ad a ‘‘G’’ rating, meaning it was suitable for a general audience.

The company responded to the ASA, saying the ad campaign had therefore been reactivated, but Wills Contracting had been advised of the complaint. — NZME