Wicked inaction wears thin with ASA

Wicked Campers’ refusal to respond to complaints about its offensive vehicle slogans is wearing thin with the Advertising Standards Authority.

The Australian rental company has been under pressure from the public, politicians and camp parks this year as people grow tired of controversial paint jobs displayed on its vans.

The authority has upheld two complaints made against Wicked Campers this month, taking the total of upheld complaints against the company this year to four.

A complaint upheld on May 10 related to vans displaying offensive slogans. The slogans included comments that could be perceived as racist, homophobic and sexist.

Another complaint was upheld on May 10 related to a Wicked Camper vehicle.

In both cases the authority ordered the advertising to be removed and in both cases Wicked Campers refused to respond.

The authority is a non-statutory body so it does not have the power to fine or take advertisers to court. The authority was concerned at the company’s "repeated refusal to engage with, and respect, the principles of self-regulation".

The quotes in the first complaint were deliberately provocative and offensive due to the medium and were widely accessible, while the quote in the second complaint was likely to cause serious and widespread offence to most people, the authority said.

Wicked Campers founder and owner, Australian John Webb, did not respond to requests for comment.