When will changes be made to the failed advertising self regulation system?

In December last year Honey Birdette released a series of posters for display in their shop windows around the country. Consumers lodged their complaints with the Advertising Standards Board who eventually determined that two of the four posters did in fact breach the code of ethics.

Honey Birdette have repeatedly breached the code of ethics. But there are no penalties for repeat offenders. And by the time the ASB made their determination in January, the posters had already been up for weeks, and had since been replaced by the next months promotional signage.

How many children were exposed to these harmful images in the meantime? Why must families doing their weekly grocery shop continually be exposed to hyper-sexualised content against their will? 

We've outlined 25 flaws to the current self regulatory system here. 

Take action: 

Contact your MP regarding the flaws in the current system. 

New on our list of corporations that have exploited women are Volley with their recent #Grassroots campaign. Volley have been a popular shoe company for decades, but for some reason they got lazy and decided they were going to try the 'sex sells' method of advertising (which we know doesn't actually lead to more sales as detailed here).

Overall the Board considered that posters 1, 4 and 5 on their own did not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience and that although posters 2, 3 and 6 did treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience, their use in conjunction with posters 1, 4 and 5 gives these posters a more sexualised tone and therefore all 6 posters, when displayed together, did not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the relevant audience.

The Board determined that the advertisement when viewed as a whole did breach Section 2.4 of the Code and that images used in posters 1, 4 and 5 in an outdoor placement did breach Section 2.4 of the Code. Finding that the advertisement did breach Section 2.4 of the Code, the Board upheld the complaints. 

"the placement of the advertisement in food court area of a shopping mall means that the entirety of the advertisement would be viewed by people using the food court . . . the content is too sexualised for this broad audience which would include children."

Lingerie retailer Bras'N'Things has been forced to discontinue a Playboy video ad due to its overtly explicit content.

While many associate Playboy simply with its branded items or magazine, Playboy Enterprises own various adult TV channels and websites, broadcasting brutal, hardcore pornography. Retailers that stock Playboy branded products are helping Playboy to produce and distribute content that objectifies and degrades women.

Consumers lodged complaints with the Advertising Standards Board after being exposed to the sexualised content which was playing on TV screens in the retailer’s front windows in full view of passers by including children.

Click here to read the case report

Click here to read the Ad Standards Board case report

"We can shoot your wife and frame your mother-in-law, if you want we can hang them too" - Fantastic Framing

Our Queensland Volunteer Coordinator Angela shares her experience of a two year long fight trying to get a strip club billboard taken down. While the Advertising Standards Board upheld complaints, the strip club owner refused to take it down- and the current system of advertising (self) regulation means he doesn't have to, and that there are no penalties for non-compliance.

Earlier this year UltraTune launched its new series of television commercials which attracted substantial criticism from the broader community.