Wicked Campers is yet again the subject of an upheld complaint by the Advertising Standards Bureau, but this time the complainant has questioned the company's non-compliance with the watchdog's recommendations.
The company has had complaints over the subject matter of its campers for several years, with AdNews reporting in 2013, that the company had begun ignoring demands from the ASB for standard breaches.
In the latest complaint received by the ASB, the complainant took issue with a slogan on a van reading “Virginity is curable” with a depiction of a female Lego character lying on top of a male Lego character. The word “Legover” was written next to the characters.
The complainant noted: “As a mother of children between four and seven they were immediately drawn to the pictures of the Lego characters and began asking questions about why they were in that position. I object to my children being exposed to the degrading and misogynistic images.”
The complainant also questioned why Wicked Campers were able to continue using vans with inappropriate imagery, given the number of complaints upheld against them,.
“Why do I have to have this conversation with my child on a trip to the beach?” the complainant said.
“Why has the Wicked Camper van company not taken the necessary steps to spraypaint the offensive images off their vans as was reported in July 2014?”
The ASB upheld the complaint on the basis that the Lego characters and the suggestion of sexual activity was “inappropriate for a broad audience, which would include children”.
Once again, Wicked Campers refused to comment on the complaint. In its determination the ASB noted: “The advertiser has not provided a response to the board's determination. The ASB will continue to work with the relevant authorities in Queensland regarding this issue of non-compliance.”
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