Advertising standards (1 Viewer)

[Rafy]

The ad that dared to use the V-word (Sun Herald, 22 July 2012)

Does the word 'vagina' offend your sensibilities? Should it and similar terms be censored by the government from broadcast? Does government have a role in regulating advertising and broadcast standards?

FIFTY PER CENT of the population has one, yet the use of the word ''vagina'' in the latest Carefree advertisement has conservative groups shocked and complaints piling up.
The commercial for panty liners features a naked woman openly mentioning discharge and using the word ''vagina'' for the first time in an Australian television campaign. Previously, feminine hygiene advertisements have featured blue liquid, puppets and even men using pads to dress up as superheroes, deliberately avoiding the specifics of the topic.
Carefree said its research revealed that women didn't want their body parts to be referred to in euphemisms any more. ''They want honesty and clarity,'' a spokeswoman said.
But Family First said the word ''vagina'' was not one that should be used in general conversation and it could cause embarrassment to parents who have to explain it to young kids.
''I understand it can be used in medical discussions but it's not appropriate in an ad when young ears are listening,'' the NSW president of Family First, Jason Cornelius, said.
The Advertising Standards Bureau has received more than 40 complaints since the ad first screened last week. Most complaints were about the nakedness of the woman.

[...] [Full article]

 

[Dash8]

Re: 'vagina' in advertising

I don't mind it, but when I'm sitting in the lounge room with my family and it comes on....that shit gets awkward :/

 

[Lolsmith]

So conservatives and the religious think it's embarrassing to have a vagina

Oh so that's why they hate women so much

 

[Lolsmith]

Re: 'vagina' in advertising

The government only has a role in regulating the airwaves that it owns. If it owns a channel that it didn't obtain via legislation (like the United States did, I'm unsure if the same system operates here; also ignoring taxes = legislation but whatever), then it can remove anything that it sees fit to. The same goes for channels that take government money, as long as it is agreed to under the terms (contract) of them receiving that money.

If there are private operators that generate channels to either the entire country or even a small community (could you imagine setting up your own tv station?), then they should have the first and final word on whether an advertisement airs and then continues to air. People would complain to the respective station that played the ad, similar to what's happening here, and if the response is high enough, the station will pull it because its customers are unhappy.

 

[townie]

Really???? Vagina is only ok in "medical" terminology. How stupid. I have to confess I do remember the ad because I as in my iPad and then heard the word vsgina and immediately looked at the TV screen, so in that sense maybe you could argue they are doing it for shock value/attention. However, one, I don't think they are and two I think it hardly matters if they did.

Do we really want to live in a world where we can't even refer to a persons own body parts with their correct name! Young girls do actually have vaginas, what's wrong with knowing what it's called.

 

[Shadowdude]

I don't see why the term 'vagina' should be censored on television when 'penis' isn't...

*nods*

 

[funkshen]

they both smell bad

 

[Graney]

[youtube]lpaVkxMv-Sw[/youtube]

hmm

 

[Shadowdude]

[youtube]lpaVkxMv-Sw[/youtube]

hmm

is that it

really


i was expecting a bit more because of the apparent shitstorm that it's causing

 

[Amunoruk]

So what's wrong with using the proper term again?

 

[OzKo]

Absolutely nothing wrong with the term.

Fail to see how it's distasteful.

 

[Lentern]

Well given most people on these place think that libel laws are an infringement on civil liberties I imagine this will be quite a lopsided poll. On a far more interesting note though, I think cunt is an infinitely preferable term to vagina.

 

[funkshen]

wrong, the most offensive word is felch

 

[Lentern]

wrong, the most offensive word is felch

You felching bastard. Doesn't really roll of the tongue.

 

[funkshen]

You felching bastard. Doesn't really roll of the tongue.

i bet you haven't even tried it

 

[SnowFox]

Family First.
Ahuh..

 

[Lolsmith]

wrong, the most offensive word is felch

incorrect

the most offensive term is most definitely 'axe wound'

 

[Ivorytw]

Tonight I heard an aboriginal woman utter the following

"I couldn't afford to pay me rent so I got out my hairy cheque book"