The 10 most complained about ads in 20 years
Sportbet and iSelect have topped the Ad Standards’ list of the 10 most complained about ads over the last 20 years.
The betting company, which is no stranger to the ad watchdog, took the honour of having the most complained about commercial since 1998 for this year’s naked shaving ad, which was banned for showing an inappropriate level of nudity. The ad received a record number of 792 complaints.
The second most complained about ad, with 715 complaints, was iSelect’s spot, which depicts a woman smashing an Easter Bunny shaped piñata after receiving bad news about rising insurance premiums.
Ad Standards deemed the ad, again from earlier this year, as being too violent in the context of health insurance and price comparison.
Before this year, the most complained about ad was an Ashley Madison ad which included men singing about looking for someone other than their wives which, despite being dismissed, had 643 complaints.
Ultra Tune came in fourth place with 421 complaints for the ad featuring women using a fire extinguisher to put out a car fire. The ad had 419 complaints against it, which were ultimately dismissed.
The vehicle servicing company also had the fifth most complained about ad with 419 complaints, for an ad showing two women dressed in rubber posing while holding tools as a male voice over declares “we’re into rubber”.
Of the 10 most complained about ads in 20 years, only three were upheld.
The top 10 most complained about ads in 20 years:
- 0116/18 – Sportsbet – TV
A man is seen naked from the waist up and appears to be manscaping.
Upheld. Number of complaints: 792 - 0113/18 – iSelect – TV
A woman aggressively hits a piñata in front of a group of children.
Upheld. Number of complaints: 715 - 0307/14 – Ashley Madison – TV
Men are singing about looking for someone other than their wives.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 643 - 0042/17 – Ultra Tune – TV
Two women use a fire extinguisher to put out a car fire.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 421 - 0024/16 – Ultra Tune – TV
Two women declaring that they are “into rubber”.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 419 - 0017/16 – Meat and Livestock Australia – TV
Lee Lin Chin organising ‘Operation Boomerang’ to rescue Australians overseas so they can eat lamb on Australia Day.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 376 - 156/07 – Nandos – TV
A woman is seen pole dancing and using Nandos chewing gum.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 359 - 0423/17 – YouFoodz – TV
A young boy describes a meal as “unforkin-believable”.
Upheld. Number of complaints: 307 - 0461/17 – Neds – TV
A man excuses himself from dinner to listen to a telemarketer while using the Neds app on his phone.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 303 - 410/06 – Stuart Alexander – TV
A man’s nipples get longer and he walks around town using them to do various things.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 283
iSelect’s ad was so disturbing and if it came in second with the most complaints, why did it take so long to be removed? Had nothing to do with the end of the campaign finishing on April 1 – what a coincidence that it took until then.
Calm down Deb. It was someone hitting a piñata at a party. Which surprisingly is the exact reason why a piñata exists in the first place.
And the exact thing the kids were no doubt about to do themselves. Because, you know, its a piñata.
An adult carrying on like a deranged idiot in front of children. I don’t think any of those kids looked impressed – more horrified. And 715 people who bothered to complain says something.
How is the Sportsbet level of nudity any different to that of an aftershave ad or level of skin exposed in dove body wash ads etc?
Ridiculous nanny governing of ads.
Subjective feedback.
And the 715 number reflects the size of Australia’s population who have nothing better to do than complain about stuff that isn’t their problem to solve.
What about this: The adult was always going to be the one to smash the piñata, the children are waiting for the outcome, which they understand only too well, there will be fragments of smashed piñata, and lots of lovely goodies from within, all for them :o)
Adult uses harmless smashing of piñata, to vent her frustration at rising prices, children neither know nor care about the adults inner feelings, we as audience are surprised at so called “level of violence,” because we have heard about her frustration, but we have not yet seen what the children are all too well aware of, which is …….The Piñata! NB. You say [quote] “I don’t think any of those kids looked impressed – more horrified.”[unquote]
I can assure you, as one who has directed many visual commercials, and appeared in around 50, that the kids would have reacted in the way they were asked to react, and ( since the action is not real) it is possible that they were not even there when the adult smashed the piñata.
To Richard.
The Sportsbet level of nudity is no different to other appropriate nudity ads, in so much that it conforms with the standards, but (in my personal opinion) it goes beyond good taste in its direction and action, when the character’s hand apparently slips. In fact, (again in my opinion) even the character’s intent is of questionable taste, and more than a little forced in its relationship to betting,or winning and losing.
Won’t somebody please think of the children!
So SAD that the most complained about ad was one of my all-time favourite ads!! Every time it came on, i just laughed and laughed. And i’m female and over 50! Really can’t understand how people can’t see the funny side of it.
The world has seen an increasing death of common sense and now it seems like a death of tongue-in-cheek humour too.
Deb, you’re absolutely right. There is no excuse for any level of violence in commercials. Withholding a complaint is a big deal for AdStandards against iSelect. These commercials cost a fortune to produce and bring to air. The ad was viewed by a panel of experts who took every aspect into consideration.
I read the report in relation to the complaint against the ad online posted by AdStandards, it was one single complaint that made a huge impact on the commission to decide for the complaint to be withheld. Great effort on that one individual who felt compelled enough to write in. What a great advocate for family violence and what a disgrace to the team who thought up the idea. There are many other creative ways to depict the frustrations of the rise in health insurance iSelect. Bloody idiots.
Btw, Andrew, the point is the ad is depicting a mother beating a piñata to a pulp in sheer anger ‘at a kids party.’ And Richard, we all know it’s kids ‘acting’ they were upset, but the children watching the ad at home wouldn’t understand that (doh!).