Cell C advert rubs TV viewers up the wrong way
IN THE dog-eats-dog world of advertising, a newly-released Cell C advert which shows a little Maltese poodle getting over-affectionate with a man’s leg has resulted in a storm of protest and been banned from the SABC.
Twitter and Facebook users have filled cyberspace with comments and the rather risqué advert has resulted in more than 100 complaints laid with the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa.
Complaints and comments on social media honed in on two elements of the advert: that it was bordering on animal abuse to use a dog in this manner and that the act is distasteful.
However, no actual animal was used in making the advert and Cell C’s executive head of marketing, Doug Matteus, confirmed that a puppet had been used.
He explained the message behind the advert: “The cost of living in South Africa is expensive, and we feel that people are getting ripped off on necessary daily expenses.
“One of those things should not be a cellphone bill. The dog is a metaphor for how South Africans are getting taken advantage of,” he said.
The advert depicts a man struggling to come to terms with the incessant expenses of daily life, whether it be paying for groceries, filling up the petrol tank or dealing with power outages.
The dog is seen making sexual advances on the man each time he has to pay for a necessity such as food, throughout the advert.
Matteus said Cell C knew they were taking a risk by making the advert and took the necessary precautions to make sure it was not viewed by children. “The advert is only flighted after 8pm and, in terms of the cinema, it is only shown at movies with an age restriction of 16 years and older,” he said. “So in that sense we tried to control who can and cannot view it. But we cannot stop people going online and viewing the advert that way.”
The Advertising Standards Authority has asked Cell C to submit a copy and an explanation of its advert by Monday, which will determine whether or not it will be edited or taken off TV screens altogether.