MEDIA RELEASE
11 October 2010

Cartoon Porn Deemed Acceptable by ASA

Family First NZ is labeling the Advertising Standards Authority as naïve and morally bankrupt after it rejected complaints against a sexual advertisement using cartoon-imaged fruit.

“Ironically, a minority of the Board agreed with the complainant that the advertisements were ‘offensive’ and ‘likely to cause serious or widespread offence taking into account the context, medium and audience’. Unfortunately that correct view was rejected by the rest of the Board,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.

“Advertisers now have a green light to use sexualized and offensive messages in the form of cartoons using fruit and vegetables. Families don’t need much imagination to realize how far that can be taken and how dangerous it is.”

“The ASA naively argued that children would not see the image as sexualized, and that the image was ‘hyperbolic’ – all this despite the acknowledgement by the Board of a ‘phallic banana in a “flashing” pose’, and the use of the word ‘fetish’.”

“Yet again, the ASA has shown hostility towards the wellbeing and protection of families, and seems to act as a ‘mates club’ to advertisers who are committed to pushing the boundaries without any consequences of note,” says Mr McCoskrie.

Family First is calling for the Board of the ASA to be changed, for the pre-vetting of advertisements, and for there to be more a representative Board that comprises representatives of family, children, and community groups.

ENDS

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