Advertising Standards Bureau - Review of Operations 2013 | Page 34

Exploitative & degrading
(Section 2.2, AANA Code
of Ethics)
Section 2.2 of the Code concerning the use of
sexual appeal in a manner which is exploitative
and degrading was introduced in 2012. This
section takes into account the objectification of
children, men and women and requires that the
advertisement use sexual appeal in a manner
that is exploitative and degrading. Common
complaints under Section 2.2 of the Code
surround imagery of women’s bodies omitting
their head implying they are sexual objects, and
concerns over relevance images may have to
the product or service advertised. Although the
majority of complaints in this section surround
the portrayal of women, the Code applies to
images of women, men and children.

Children

Women

The AANA Code of Ethics Practice Note
provides the following additional guidelines for
advertisers regarding exploitative and degrading
content concerning children; in advertisements
where images of children are used, sexual appeal is not
acceptable and will always be regarded as exploitative
and degrading. In 2013 the Board did not find any
advertisements in breach of Section 2.2 in relation
to images of children and very few complaints
raised this issue.

Images which breached Code

Concerns of exploitative and degrading
imagery of children were raised with a lingerie
advertisement for Bonds (0177/13) which
featured a girl skipping in underwear with the
underwear design changing with each skip of
the rope. Complaints expressed concern over the
model’s age particularly with her hair in plaits
and engaging in a childlike activity; skipping.
The majority of the Board determined that the
model looked like a young woman engaging in a
youthful, fun and energetic activity but it was not
sexual or suggestive. The Board found that this
advertisement was not exploitative and degrading
to children.
Another advertisement which attracted
complaints concerning children in Section 2.2
featured adults with superimposed baby heads
(Vodafone – 0338/13). In a particular scene, three
adult women with superimposed baby heads walk
down a street dancing which raised concerns
over the sexualisation of children. The Board’s
view was that the children were not presented
as sexual beings or having sexual appeal, and
dismissed complaints.

Men
In 2013 there were no cases considered by the
Board concerning exploitative and degrading

imagery of men. Complaints regarding
discrimination or vilification of men are captured
under Section 2.1 of the Code and the use of
sex, sexuality and nudity is considered under
Section 2.4.

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The Board has found several advertisements in
breach of Section 2.2 of the Code for the use of
sexual appeal in a manner which is exploitative
and degrading to women.
An advertisement for Tremonti Jewellery
(0030/13) featured overhead shots of three
pairs of women’s legs. At the beginning of the
advertisement, the women’s legs are crossed and
the women are then presented with a jewellery

box. When the closed jewellery box is presented,
the women’s legs remain crossed. A second box is
presented and is open with jewellery inside and
this time the women uncross and spread their
legs. The voiceover says Tremonti, always gets you
what you want. The Board considered that the
image depicts the women in a position that is
sexually suggestive as their legs are uncrossed only
upon seeing the contents of the jewellery box.
The Board also considered that the image depicts
the women as objects, without heads or faces,
which increased the suggestion that the women
have no value other than their bodies. The Board
considered that the representation of the women
as simply pairs of legs was irrelevant to the
service advertised, a jewellery store. The parting
of their legs only upon the revealing of jewellery
was considered degrading. The Board considered
that the impact of the advertisement as a whole
is exploitative of women and is also degrading,
which breached Section 2.2 of the Code.
A case which breached both Section 2.2 and 2.4
in 2013 featured a woman lying on the beach with
the contents of a burger including lettuce, tomato,
cheese and a meat patty were between the cheeks
of her backside (Good Time Burgers - 0416/13).
The text in the advertisement stated the freshest
fun between the buns. The Board considered that
although the advertiser intended the image to be
a humorous depiction, the close up image of the
woman’s bottom and the portrayal of her bottom
as a burger likened the woman to a piece of meat
or object for consumption and objectified women.
The Board also considered that this depiction of
a woman as a burger is exploitative of women
and degrading.

Advertising Standards Bureau