After a host of complaints regarding the “crude innuendo” in Unilever's Lynx 'Clean Your Balls' campaign, the watchdog has determined the ad must be modified due to its depiction of “old saggy balls”.
The campaign features Sophie Monk in an over the top infomercial-style environment talking about Lynx gel and its ability to “clean your balls”. The double entendre-laden ad refers to actual sports balls rather than genitalia, but the meaning of the ad is quite clear.
The ad appeared online, on television and in cinema.
One of the complaints regarding the ad said: “References every couple of seconds to men's balls meaning testicles including old men with saggy balls. No hint at anything. Completely in your face references to men's testicles every second.”
Another said: “It is smutty and filled with crude innuendo of a sexual nature. It is not clever advertising but rather immature banter akin to school yard talk. It has nothing to do with the advertising of the product and is totally unnecessary and demeaning to men. If the topic was woman's breasts there would be outrage. Not funny not clever just feral.”
Yet another complainant wrote: “Extremely offended that advertisement alludes to women wanting to 'play' with clean balls. Disgraceful. Degrading. Unsafe messages being displayed.”
In response to these complaints, Unilever spoke of the “fun, tongue-in-cheek” nature of its advertising.
The Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) determined that by and large the ad was in good humour and did not breach standards in terms of demeaning either men or women.
However, the ASB determined the ad was offensive to elderly men, as it refers to their “old saggy balls not being played with for years”. The board determined the older man in the ad is displayed in a negative light which comes across as discrimination against older men.
In response to the ASB's determination, Unilver said: “We are disappointed by the Advertising Standards Board's determination … It was never the intention of the commercial to discriminate against elderly people.”
However, Unilever has amended the ad to comply with the ASB's ruling.
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