Sell without the stereotypes, advertisers told
‘We’re proposing to tackle harmful gender stereotypes in ads while ensuring that creative freedom continues’
ADVERTS portraying gender stereotypes such as women being bad drivers and men not doing housework are to be banned.
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), which regulate adverts in the UK, have today laid out how new rules designed to tackle harmful gender stereotypes are likely to be interpreted in practice.
Following a year-long inquiry, the Advertising Standards Authority developed a set of tougher standards on adverts that portray “potentially harmful” gender stereotypes.
Examples considered to be no longer acceptable include new mothers having to keep up appearances, people with certain physiques being rejected on dates, and men being inept at performing “women’s tasks” like cleaning or changing nappies.
It means Specsavers’s Lynx effect parody advert and Asda’s 2012 Christmas advert would also be considered problematic under the new rules.
Watchdogs insisted that the proposed changes does not mean that gender stereotyping is banned.
However, they appear to have spurred a slew of politically correct advertising campaigns, including Mccain’s “here’s to love” campaign, which depicts a diverse range of couples, and a Pampers advert that features a “super dad” and his “ninja” daughter.
From next year, the new rules, which will now be finalised by the CAP, will be used to ban inappropriate adverts.
Ella Smillie, CAP gender stereotyp- ing project lead, said: “Our review strongly indicates that particular forms of gender stereotypes in ads can con- tribute to harm for adults and children by limiting how people see themselves and how others see them and the life decisions they take.
“The set of standards we’re proposing aims to tackle harmful gender stereotypes in adverts while ensuring that creative freedom expressed within the rules continues to be protected.”
Shahriar Coupal, CAP director, said: “Certain gender stereotypes have the potential to cause harm or serious offence.
“That’s why we’re proposing a new rule and guidance to restrict particular gender stereotypes in ads where we believe there’s an evidence-based case to do so.”