“There’s a massive pressure to do what you have to do.”

Originally published on The Conversation

Advertising and sex are two of the oldest professions in the world. Indeed, one of the earliest uses of advertising was to advertise sexual services; prostitutes in Ancient Greece carved ads into the soles of their sandals so that their footprints read: “Follow me”.

Sex and sexism, however, are different things. One is fun and most people do it at some time in their lives; the other is offensive and should never be done at all. But if recent events – from Eddie McGuire to Steve Price – are any indication, it seems sexism, like porn, is something you only know when you see it.

If you need to know how this plays out in advertising, the award-winning Game of Balls ad is sex-in-advertising. The Ultratune ads are sexism in advertising, as is the campaign using pre-teen models in sexualised poses to advertise dancewear.

Foxtel's publicity stunt highlights failure of Advertising Industry self-regulation

We were recently alerted to a billboard in Sydney advertising the Foxtel Channel "Studio." The billboard featured an image of a man preparing to have sex with a pig.

Calls for new Inquiry into the sexualisation of children in advertising

As published on the AMA website.

The AMA is calling for a new Inquiry into the premature sexualisation of children in marketing and advertising.

AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said today that self-regulation by the advertising industry is clearly not working.