Advertising Standards Bureau Review of Operations 2014 | Page 41

highly sexualised. As avant cards are distributed
widely throughout cafes, restaurants and other
venues this card was found to not treat the issue
of sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to the
relevant audience.
An internet promotion of a movie (Universal
Pictures – 0174/14) featured scenes from the
movie where a woman flashes her genitals at a
man (hidden from view of the audience) and
a man uses shadow puppetry to imply he is
receiving oral sex. The advertisement could not be
skipped or fast forwarded and was placed prior
to a program which was of appeal to families
including children. In the Board’s view the explicit
nature of the scenes along with its placement did
not treat the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with
sensitivity to the relevant audience.
In the Board’s view images featuring women
and men in highly sexualised poses (Vibes Adult
Shop - 0468/14) were not appropriate for display
in a window where a broad audience including
children could see them. The images included:
a woman wearing a black basque and matching
briefs, posing with her legs apart; a man standing
between the legs of a lingerie clad woman who
was hanging from a swing with her knees around
his waist and her head leaning back to the floor;
and a woman’s legs raised in front of her so that
her genital region was pointed at the camera.
Mildly suggestive acts or themes dismissed under
Section 2.4 in 2014 include a woman taking off
multiple layers of t-shirts (Energiser Australia Pty
Ltd – 0194/14), a well-known singer dancing with
very scant clothing (Dainty Group – 0242/14), a
couple who get intimate on a kitchen bench (San
Remo -0118/14), two older people kissing on a
bus (Amaysim Australia Pty Ltd – 0382/14), and
a woman singing about her cha cha (Hair Free
Centre – 0383/14).

Sexualisation of children
The Board and the community continue to hold
strong concerns over any imagery in advertising
which may exploit or sexualise children. All
complaints concerning the sexualisation of
children are taken seriously and considered
carefully by the Board.

Review of Operations 2014

In 2013, research into community perceptions of
exploitative and degrading advertising explored
the use of children in advertising. This research
found that it was unacceptable to use children in
advertising for adult products such as sex products,
drugs or alcohol, or when the product advertised
was not related to children or to family use. The
use of children in advertising was considered
acceptable if the product was relevant to the
child, when children were undertaking childlike
activities, and when parents have consented to
using their children in the advertisements.
In 2014, one of many images featured in an
internet advertisement (Witchery – 136/14) was
found in breach of Section 2.4 for presenting
material contrary to community standards on sex,
sexuality and nudity with respect to children. In
the image of concern the girl wore a short skirt
and had her legs apart, which the Board viewed
as a pose that was more adult than child-like,
noting that the camera angle highlighted the
shortness of her skirt. The Board view was that the
image amounted to a depiction of a child which is
sexualised and is therefore not appropriate.

was of the view that interpretation of the phrase
‘easy to use’ as being a reference to using the child
was an interpretation unlikely to be shared by the
broad community.
Images of children and teenagers modelling
clothing were considered in advertisements for
Target (0084/14 and 0181/14), Pacific Brands
Holdings Pty Ltd (0304/14 and 0401/14) and
Myer/Grace Bros (0236/14). Complaints received
concerned the sexualisation of children with
particular note of the poses, clothing choice and
make-up worn by children. The Board determined
images used were not sexualised or inappropriate,
but noted that advertisers should take care when
using images of children in advertising. In these
cases the Board view was that poses used were
typical of the types of positions that children
carry out themselves when asked to pose for a
photo and were in line with the types of images
used in catalogues and not depictions which most
reasonable members of the community would
find sexualised.

The use of younger-looking women in advertising
can raise community concern in relation to
inappropriate sexual behaviour. In this regard the
Board accepts that there is a genuine community
concern about inappropriate behaviour of a sexual
nature including grooming and sex offences. This
issue was raised by complainants about an internet
advertisement featuring a young woman at home
listening to a phone call from a male (Chloe
Perfume - 0265/14) in which she is depicted as
excited and happy to hear the voice of the man on
the phone. In the Board’s view the woman in this
advertisement was young looking but definitely
depicted as a young woman and not a child, and
although mildly sexualised the advertisement
treated the issue of sex, sexuality and nudity with
sensitivity to the relevant broad audience which
could include children.
In an advertisement featuring a photograph of
a young girl lying in a hammock and smiling
at a camera with text reading, ‘I am easy to use’
(Nikon - 0415/14) the Board noted that the girl
was appropriately dressed and was of the view
that her pose was not sexualised. Noting other
descriptive text such as ‘Learn as you shoot…’ and
the inclusion of an image of a camera the Board

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