For years, Bratz dolls have attracted criticism for their hyper-sexualised appearance and unhealthy messages to little girls. This week we spoke with Miriam, who decided to makeover the dolls in a unique and positive way. Read the interview below:

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).

For some time now thousands of parents have been calling on McDonald's family restaurant to implement a policy regarding family friendly TV content after many of their children were exposed to sexualised music videos in their stores. 

Now KFC has been found to be doing the same. 

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. 

For a long time, I have been troubled by the mere presence of TV screens in public areas. It seems that these days every restaurant, cafe and shopping centre virtually adorn their walls with them.

As a mother who has always been restrictive of what my daughter is allowed to view, this can be very disturbing when, for example, you can walk into a café and there’s news footage of the latest bomb attack for my ten-year-old to see. I often question the need for these screens to be there in the first place. Most of the time the volume is turned down, so whatever show is on cannot be properly followed. It is, however, natural for eyes to be drawn to moving imagery – especially the eyes of young children.

McDonald's are pushing soft porn to kids by screening hyper-sexualised content on their in-store TV screens throughout restaurants across Australia. 

Our petition for McDonald's to implement a national policy regarding family friendly content has gained thousands of signatures. 

Over the course of the campaign we have had comments from selected individuals excusing McDonald's behaviour and showing a true lack of understanding of the problem. We have addressed those arguments below. 

A NSW father has spoken out against the hyper sexualised music videos displayed in McDonald's restaurants across the country. He was with his six and eight year old children when they were exposed to sexualised content via the in-store TV screen. 

Our petition to McDonald's to implement a national policy regarding family friendly content has already gained thousands of signatures. 

"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.

From an ex employee

Okay I will admit it, I was once an employee at the world's biggest restaurant chain, McDonald's. I was just about to turn 15. It was my first job. When I was hired on the spot and toured around the back of the restaurant I was in awe. There was so much hustle and bustle, beepers going off, staff calling out orders, but it ran like clockwork.