Skincare brand Etto Australia has been found to be in breach of Ad Standards code of ethics after promoting their product in The Good Weekend.
Our team reached out to Etto Australia via Instagram:
Etto replied initially as per the below screenshot:
Which was then deleted and replaced with this comment:
Section 2.2: Advertising or marketing communications should not employ sexual appeal in a manner which is exploitative or degrading of any individual or group of people.
The majority of the Panel considered this was a depiction which employed sexual appeal in a way which is clearly focussing on the body of the woman and bears no direct relevance to the product being advertised.
The majority of the Panel considered that the woman is in a submissive position in the advertisement and this image was being used in a manner suggesting that the woman was a desirable sexual object designed to attract attention to the business. The majority considered that there was insufficient link between the image of the woman and the product being advertised. The Panel considered that the depiction of the woman as a sexual object, lowered her in character and quality and was degrading of women. The Panel considered that the advertisement did employ sexual appeal in a manner which is degrading to women.
Finding that the advertisement did employ sexual appeal in a manner which is exploitative or degrading of an individual or group of people (women), the Panel determined that the advertisement did breach Section 2.2 of the Code.
Finding that the advertisement did breach Section 2.2 of the Code, the Panel upheld the complaints.
Etto are still using the image
In Australia when complaints for an ad are made The Panel review the complaints in reference to the medium in which the complaint was seen. So because complaints were made about a newspaper ad Etto have agreed to 'discontinue' the ad in The Good Weekend. This does not prevent them from using the image on their Instagram account. Consumers are required to lodge complaints about the ad for each separate medium.
You can lodge a complaint regarding the social media ad here: https://adstandards.com.au/lodge-complaint
*Update* 19/6/23
Skincare brand Etto Australia has deleted s*xualised imagery from their Instagram account after our campaign. Our team member lodged a complaint with Ad Standards earlier this month after viewing an image of a naked woman with a blow up crocodile on top of her to sell body oil. When the advertiser was notified of the complaint they voluntarily withdrew the image from their social media platform. Silence is the language of complicity, speaking out is the language of change! Keep speaking out.
See also:
What would advertising look like without objectification?
Keeping women in their place: Objectification in advertising
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