Watchdog bans Sir Walter’s sausage, arguing it ‘endorses bullying and aggressive behaviour’
An ad for turf supplier Sir Walter Turf, which features a talking sausage, has been banned by the ad watchdog because of a ruling that the ad “depicts and endorses bullying and aggressive behaviour.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlpT9ZRmUyY
The Ad Standards Bureau ruling found that the scene where the man has grass pushed into his mouth and face, was a realistic depiction of an action that could be considered as a violent act.
Advertisers are banned in Australia from depicting violence, “unless it is justifiable in the context of the product or service advertised.”
Despite the undertones of bullying this poor excuse for an ad should have been taken off air for being so appalling. Honestly I ask the question if so called creatives are paying clients to make their ads?? – because surely no honourable agency would allow a client to pay for this. Maybe the client’s are making their own ads – if so STOP – or the Direct Departments of TV stations are making them – then I reiterate STOP IT.
Stop reading Advertising for Dummies books – it’s not helping your brand.
It could be the suits making the ads – I know at several very large and well known agencies, the creative department could not always meet the client deadlines or even be bothered doing work which didn’t interest them so the suits were forced to write ads.
I particularly remember one English writer lass telling the suits when they asked her to do a retail ad for a leading media organisation “fuck off, i didn’t come here to do retail”.
So yeh it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the suits or clients did more ads than realised.