With 2015 coming to a close, we decided to put together the list of the top 10 kookiest ad complaints to the Advertising Standards Bureau.
Bingle
There is always a handful of complaints that fall into the “won't somebody think of the children” category, and 2015 was no different. This time, it was Bingle's ad that drew the ire of a complainant who was worried about their four year old son watching the magicians' assistant get cut in half. “But TV is very effective for kids and they try most of the things they see on TV” the complainant said with fear in their eyes. “Who is responsible if a kid tries this act?” Who indeed.
Bingle - again
Bingle gets an extra special second mention for its 'Horses' commercial, and not just because of its excellent Daryl Braithwaite backing track. One complainant was incensed that Eric and the singing horses be allowed on TV because it “encourages people to operate a mobile phone while operating a vehicle”. Horses aren't vehicles people. We're at a loss for words.
Pfizer
Ads for smoking have been banned for some time – but what about ads for quitting smoking? One complainant was concerned that Pfizer's ads for its quit smoking products were just an elaborate ruse to get ex-smokers shaky at the sights of those ciggie sticks and pick up the habit again. We're pretty sure this guy is currently sitting in his basement wearing a tin-foil hat in case the government records his conversations.
Australian Super
You know what is absolutely disgusting? Old people having any semblance of a life of their own after they hit the ripe old age of 50. That's the thoughts of one complainant who, while noting they're “no prude” found Australian Super's shower happy couple “gross” noting “no one wants to see people their parents or grandparents' age 'fooling around' in a sexual” way. You heard us, grandpa. You die alone.
Stan
It wasn't even Rebel Wilson's cheeky use of the word “pussy” in the Stan advert that was the main issue for this complainant. Oh no. They were more concerned that Wilson's “attempt to be funny” was her way of pandering to the young which is “consistently lowering our standards of thinking”. Back in my day...
While this specific ad isn't on YouTube, watch this earlier one from Wilson for no other reason than it's lots of fun.
Aldi
Cruelty to animals is abhorrent, but it is important to know that this really only extents to actual cruelty and actual animals – not pretend ones. But one complainant said Aldi's woolly mammoth ad, featuring a cave man cooking the extinct animal made their “stomach turn” despite the fact the last one died a good 4000 years ago. “There is too much cruelty in this world” they said. Not untrue, but maybe we should concentrate on the real animals first.
Coca-cola
If there is one thing we won't stand for here at AdNews it's fruit-related violence, and luckily for us there is one caped crusader out there standing up for those rights. The complainant found themselves on the right side of history when they stood up for the rights of pieces of fruit everywhere, against the “graphic violence” in the SPC commercial. And to think, there are actual problems out there. They also added “I appreciate good advertising and this is not it”. Agencies, your next ECD is here. Take note.
AAMI
Sexism is rife in media and advertising, but apparently, also in the mind of consumers. AAMI's insurance ad showing a woman in a neck brace left dealing with a male boarder in short robe was particularly badly received by one complainant who's objection was “I do not want to see a larger gentleman bending over and showing his baggy fronts.” A more lithe gentleman maybe?
Drinkwise
You know what we don't do enough of to the young of today? Scare the absolute shit out of them. Which is why Drinkwise's subtle, and wryly humorous campaign to get young people to moderate their drinking is an absolute disgrace and a thinly manipulated attempt to get young people to binge drink. Well, according to one complainant. Instead, the ad campaign should feature a young person getting close enough to smell alcohol and losing their job and getting on drugs and having no friends and then generally just dying out of being so hopeless and pathetic. Scare tactics work.
Lynx
Perhaps the most wildly outrageous complainant this year was the response to Lynx' commercial which – among a great deal of other activities – featured a mere momentary peck on the lips between two guys. The response was a barrage of complainants calling it “appalling”, “disgusting” and an example of something called “the gay agenda” ruining life as we know it. But by far the most outrageous response was the person who compared the ad to terrorism noting “ISIS has some ideas on how things should be run, ISIS believe these ideas to be the only way. Fortunately, Australia is not accommodating ISIS yet”. A leap to far, perhaps? Some people can't be told. We'll let our handsome friends have the last say.
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