TV ad for infidelity dating website Ashley Madison pulled from air

This disgusting company should not be allowed to advertise at all!
According to website AshleyMadisonSucks.com, the site is actually a scam, full of fake profiles and Bots who auto-message the genuine members, keeping them active.
Awful, awful, awful.

While the very idea of the actual site is morally questionable at best, and advertising it for that matter, I have to agree with Mark O’Brien – compared to the show it was aired during it’s pretty tame. It seems the viewers are happy to watch it during Underbelly but not during their ad breaks….

I think there is a difference between viewing this type of action in a dramatic context versus actively encouraging and enabling it.

Spineless response to a perfectly legitimate advertising campaign targetting consenting adults. I can guarantee the complaints were coordinated by a busy body group of moralists and did not reflect public opinion. The fact that the company maybe less than reputable is neither here nor there.

Spot on Ben.
Whether you agree with the site or not, the classification of the TVC is unfairly harsh and is not in line with the classification of programmes, casing point, Underbelly 1, 2 or 3.
There is often a vast difference in what you can show on TVC’s when you compare them to what is within TV programmes. The ratings of the two are never consistant. In this instance, if referring to infidelity is not appropriate within the 2030-2130 slot, then how can sex scenes, drug taking, prostitution, murder etc.?
The whole classification system needs an overhaul.

maybe pure coincidence…but Richard Pratt’s mistress has a very similar name (Madison Ashton) …PR stunt ??

Oh.. relax and don’t fall for it guys…

This is clearly another ad for madmen. Look at the name: Ashley Madison. Just like Madison cookware.

It’s the only way this ad would ever get up.
but nice work for the controversy.

so glad this ad got pulled – there is no difference between this ad and the sex line tvcs after 11pm.

It has no place during general programing. Trying to compare an ad that is encouraging infidelity with a fictional depiction is just ridiculous, Im sure the people on this forum know better than that. Hey maybe we should create an advertisement telling people how to murder their bosses and feature it on episodes of CSI.

It just means that the advertisers are going to actually have to be CREATIVE, rather than just peddling sex to the lowest common denominator.

I can’t believe I’m actually agreeing with the nanny-state and the usually ridiculous ‘family values’ movements…..

I’d love to see people power take this website down. The founder claimed Aus was one of the quickest countries to jump on board when it launched – I’d wager this is false as is the whole site if what @Jeff is saying is correct. I’d prefer our nation to be referred to as rejecting this service rather than embracing it.

I find it amusing that they are obviously advertising to a predominantly male audience…who are these people having affairs with?

They are obviously targetting heterosexual men and women coupling but advertising specifically in male timeslots….more fool you for signing up, I say, or redress the gender balance and advertise in female markets too.

I completely agree with Dave. When I saw the TVC on Sunday night I felt ashamed of being in the advertising industry. When we start thinking it’s okay to advertise a product encouraging people to destroy their families’ lives, it’s time to reassess what we’re all doing… Condoning these ads is condoning cheating on a partner, which is abominable and destructive.

Relax. In Europe we would just watch it and enjoy the view… You are too used to content that is censored! Switch off if you don’t like it and worry about something that is more important!

C’mon guys – loosen up – I’ve been laid silly since joining this site and other than the one death threat and the occasional itch ‘down there’ its been pretty smooth sailing.

Gotta give it to those married girls….

I am glad the ad was pulled. Whilst I believe that adults can live together, long term without having to get married; encouraging married people to have an affair is pretty awful. I have watched many friends go through divorces and it can be terrible for them, their friends and families. That is without kids involved!

Does Mark O’Brien of Frontier Media have children? Is he married? Do his other clients know that he is promoting Ashley Madison?

Shame on your Mark!

Lol, I call trolling on the ref.

I’m smelling the very strong scent of a set-up…….very clever because there’s a problem with any of us trying to establish this site’s validity – the only way to test it is to set up an account or at least visit the website, which will be visible to employers and partners!
If you decide to research, please post your findings here.

If memory serves Frontier Media also ran the recent campaign for the Scientologists. Rum collection of clients but I defend theyr’e right to advertise their services as long as they are legal.

Have to agree with the majority opinion…glad this ad got pulled.

Its crass, no scruples, no imagination and no morals. Yeah people have affairs we all know that but do you honestly need to promote it AND be making a buck out of ruining peoples lives. Especially if there are children involved. Get a life company and ad agency.

While people can choose to switch off that’s not the point. And while Im also European I don’t agree with Andrea saying relax and switch off. Guess thats why Im living in Australia now…

Domain Tools shows the site gets 5.5% of its visitors from AUS, third behind US and CAN and ahead of UK at 2.8%.

Compete Rank: is #2,481 with 724,837 U.S. visitors per month whereas for ashleymadisonsucks.com the Compete Rank is: #274,362 with 5,907 U.S. visitors per month

The market speaketh.

Google knock back ads in this area too but not all as you will find if you Google “casual sex”, not that anyone here would do so,

According to Frontier Media’s website (I think I got the correct Frontier Media; as in www dot frontiermedia dot com dot au.) Frontier Media’s pro bono client is ‘Camp Quality’.

One of the values of Camp Quality is: “We believe in the quality of life for childrens and families affected by cancer…”

Imagine if you were part of a family, torn apart by cancer and then your mum or dad starts up an affair because they saw an Ashley Madison advert.

I hope the $’s are worth it Mark O’Brien…

Whilst I don’t usually comment, reading it has just got me gob smacked!

This ad and website is being viewed as trying to get people to have affairs and ruin their lives. Is it? There are a significant amount of people out there who chose to have open relationships, who chose to have affairs (let me say that I am not one of them however, there is a market there.)

Aren’t all good businesses the ones that identify something that is missing in the market place and build a business around providing a solution? Isn’t this what they have done? How many consumers believe that the alcohol and tobacco industry has ruined lives and how many of them blame the advertisers? I can’t see how this is different. If someone choses to have an affair based on a website ad, do you really think they weren’t planning on doing it anyway?

If people don’t want to use the services, watch the ads or just don’t like it, let them! Where did the concept of people taking responsibility for their own actions go?

Anyone who has used RSVP or an equivalent dating site will tell you that they are full of people who are advertising themselves as single when in fact they are married. If I was looking for a relationship and using online methods to do that, I have to say I would be a lot more comfortable if all of the single people were in one place and all the married ones in another.

Get real guys. The advertiser and the site are simply providing a service. If you don’t like it, don’t watch it.

Nice comment Ann, I completely agree. Is Nine so desperate for advertising dollars that they had to stoop so low? Even with my Dutch roots (no pun intended), I thought it was disgraceful.

“Imagine if you were part of a family, torn apart by cancer and then your mum or dad starts up an affair because they saw an Ashley Madison advert.”

Well in point of fact a lot of husbands and wives who have a child suffering from cancer do split up. The direct cause is that one partner totally devotes their time and emotional energies to the child and the other partner often struggling with unsympathetic workplaces and huge expenses as well feels neglected. The proximate cause is that our community as a whole does not provide enough support for families in this predicament.

Good point timbo.

I was pretty shocked when I saw that ad run on Sunday night (amongst the strippers, boobs, rapes, drug overdoses and bashings that I saw on Underbelly) not because it was promoting sex (oooh) but the fact that is was blatantly saying – Here if you want an affair with another married person then here’s how to get it. Now I understand that people have affairs etc etc but I don’t think it is right to actually wave the red flag at the raging bull and promote it. If they are going to be untrustworthy and break their vows then it shouldn’t be made easy for them. Trish I agree with what you said about consenting adults having open relationships etc, but the ad didn’t state anything about it being for open relationships – besides, I am pretty sure there is already a website that you can go to for that – Adult Match Makers!! Kind of sad that this is what people now think of marriage in my opinion… And to The Ref – lets hope you don’t find your wife’s profile on there hey? Yes I know, The Ref probably isn’t real and is just being silly, but hey, if you have ever had a cheating partner you will know that it is all fun and games until someone loses an eye….

Channel 9 should hang their head in shame for running that ad.

If they want to advertise online, to people searching for that, go for it. But not on prime time tv.

Had to comment again….(annoyingly aware that all PR is good PR!)

Comments on this post seem to be interpreted by some commentators that those who think the ad was crass and that it should have been pulled agree with censorship.

Don’t think this is the case here. Issue is the classification of the ad.

This ad was classified as M and was shown at prime time TV viewing circa 9pm when your average person is sitting back with a cuppa or glass of vino have some relaxing time. If the ad is reclassified to S then shown between 11 and 5am well whatever rocks your socks as they say.

Mind you personally I wouldn’t have wanted to work on this account. Be interesting to know if the Frontier staff got a vote of conscience if they wanted to work on this account or not…

I’m wondering if the real issue is that (edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons) which preys on the weak and stupid, and thus shouldn’t be being advertised at all. AM is famous for using robotic responses to give fat fifty somethings the idea that a gorgeous young thing will actually drop everything for them. The genius is that the ripped off customers are hardly going to shout about being scammed. Check out http://www.ashleymadisonsucks.com (to see that I’m not speaking from experience…). Surely the FreeTV code has something (edited by Mumbrella for legal reasons)?

i reckon let people do what they wanna do, infidelity is rampant. why not make a quick buck from it… if you are morally against it, then take no part in it… like drugs, alcohol.

I’m sorry, but most of you are still missing the point. The problem here is the classification of the TVC, not whether you agree with the service Ashley Madison (do or don’t) provide.
The TVC does not show any nudity, doesn’t use swear words or show anything illegal. There is no reason that it should be rated higher than an M.
The TVC was given an M and had been used on-air previously. The Classification Board need to get some balls – if they have made the right decision in the first place, then they should stand by it.

Another thing, personal attacks on Mark O’Brien and questions as to whether he has children are way out of line and have nothing to do with this matter whatsoever. Shame on you! These should have been removed by editor.

Thanks Tim. I can understand your point:
– There are other accounts being managed by agencies, which they keep quiet about because they are not the most moral or ethical of practices.

It is a very bold statement to promote a site, which spruiks “have an affair”. Many do not agree with this website and you know what; if people find out who is behind the promotion, so be it and Mark O’Brien would have factoured in that risk, I am sure. I notice that Ashley Madison is not listed as an account on the Frontier Media website…

In this world that is becoming more concious, where strict rules are being placed on things like say cigarettes and junk food. I can only presume that encouraging affairs might well be something that is also scrutinised?

I can also only assume that there is / will be a lot of public outrage about Ashley Madison because of our culture, which is based on marriage values and family loyalty.

In response to Alberto Rosso’s comment:
“The proximate cause is that our community as a whole does not provide enough support for families in this predicament.”

– I would hardly say that promoting affairs is good community support Alberto..?!!

Ethics is a very big part of the modern world and in this ever more transparent age we live in; I think it could be a risky strategy for agencies like Frontier Media to take on clients like Ashley Madison.

Legalities aside; what about morals, values and ethics…? I am sure that Mark O’Brien of Frontier Media weighed up the risks when taking on the account and assumed that the pro’s outweighed the cons..?

Common guys, give it a rest!
Does anyone remember the pool table scene in Underbelly recently. Not exactly family friendly!

I think it is important to remember that the actual content of this ad isn’t really that bad, if we stuck a Victoria’s Secret logo on the back end of it there would be no complaints I am sure.

Similar issue to paying to see a PG rated movie with the children and having to sit through several MA15+ rated trailers before the actual feature movie begins. Simply wrong and he cinema manager gets a good serve everytime.

@MattP Not really similar to your scenario. The TVC was rated M and the programme was rated M. The TVC was correctly placed in the programme, and I think it was actually a great fit environmentally.

@ Og Monster

Shame on you Og Monster for the personal attack on Mark O’Brien – this is a business transaction as they are a legimate business – it has nothing to do with Mark O’Brien & your personal attack is extremely disturbing & very unwarranted!!!

Of course Nine will take the money, fools. Since when did they have the front seat on the morals bus?

Who cares if consenting adults want to shag around? Affairs destroy lives but so do booze, gambling, video games, Krispy Kremes and fast cars.

Everyone’s missed the real issue and that is that the ad was/is total crap. No real insight and 3rd rate production. Lazy, lazy lazy. The real issue here is that a great brief has gone to waste.

@Concerned
So what you are saying is: Allow companies and their directors to be invisible and untouchable and leave them alone to represent unethical practices without any questions or opinions?

If I operated an agency and I was offered the Ashley Madison contract I would not take it on. I imagine that my staff (who I would have hired to suit the ethics of my business) would have similar morals and values to me and would be glad that I refused the account.

I am not in anyway disputing the legal aspect here. It is indeed a legal business and the agency representing the website is not breaking any rules in Australia.

I agree with many on this forum that Frontier Media have made a decision to take on a very volatile account, which might result in negative PR. that is the risk you take with accounts like Ashley Madison.

I see no reason why people cannot state opinions for and against and quoting the agency concerned will come into that debate when they are referred to in the original article. (Just like if Frontier took on a very ethical account and people were throwing nothing but praise at Mark and his agency, which I am sure has and will continue to happen.)

Quite a reaction the placement of this TVC has had.

IF finger pointing is neccessary and it seems evident that everyone NEEDS someone to blame for this, then surely this needs to be pointed at CAD and their approval of this TVC within the timeslot.

Drama or advertisement, content is content and the themes in this case are on par, if not worse in Underbelly.
Makes sense to allow each to go hand in hand given the audience and the nominated rating.

There are far less morale sites out there, this is just promoting consenting adults doing something that doesn’t cause harm to anyone except them. For those who are looking to do this, are likely already in a damaged relationship.

I can think of far worse people that are rarely singled out, such as those who promote McDonalds to children, those people are promoting that it is okay to feed children processed unhealthy food that is proven to damage their ability to develop into healthy adults.

Anyone curious to check if Stephen Conroy is interested to comment on this one? Might be more interesting than Mr. Murdoch …

“… this is just promoting consenting adults doing something that doesn’t cause harm to anyone except them. For those who are looking to do this, are likely already in a damaged relationship.” Excuse me? Doesn’t hurt anyone other than themselves? Likely already in a damaged relationship? What planet are you on?

I’d be interested to see what kind of response ads promoting an honest polyamorous dating website would get. The fact that Ashley Madison exists speaks volumes, I think: many people are actually more comfortable with cheating than with doing the hard — but rewarding — work of negotiating an open relationship.

The ban on showing the ad in religious and sports programs is interesting, too. Both religion and sport are frequently homosocial environments where sexuality is taboo or strictly codified, and therefore comes bustin’ out in all manner of disturbing ways. Hmm!

When an agency takes on a risky account like Frontier Media have with Ashley Madison; they must ask themselves the following question (quote from the Communications Council’s ad agency code of ethics):

“Would I be ashamed or embarrassed if this was made public?”.

In an age where information is easily discovered and circulated en mass through the digital medium; agencies should think about the accounts they take on and whether they fit with the ethics of their other clients and of course their own staff.

“encouraging infidelity” “encouraging people to destroy their families’ lives” “condoning cheating” “abominable and destructive” “no morals” “disgraceful” “If they are going to be untrustworthy and break their vows then it shouldn’t be made easy for them”

Good god you would think that the entire population of Australia is some kind of seminary.

It doesn’t matter if you find the idea of a married people’s dating agency “immoral” – it’s up to consenting adults to decide if they want to have affairs or not. You don’t have to sign up with it. But to ban it in case it “tempts” other people – ffs, and you wonder why the government is managing to get internet censorship through so easily?

The real problem with this site is compelling evidence (and compelling common sense) that it is at worst something of a (edited by Munbrella for legal reasons).

@Stephen Dolan maybe pure coincidence…but Richard Pratt’s mistress has a very similar name (Madison Ashton) …PR stunt ??

Apparently the guy who set up Ashley Madison picked two of the most popular US girls’ names and put them together for the domain name. Which adds weight to the claim that this site is more about targeting lonely men than anything else.

@anon1

The top names in NSW 2009:

William and Isabella.

I am sure somebody could make a domain out of those two names…

How about a website for people looking for Ladyboys (not the cocktail)

billisabelle.com …

@Jack Afuff

http://www.WillyBell.com

Hmm…

I actually met with an agency earlier in the year about one of their charity clients. They also represent commercial clients and it came up in conversation that the agency had been approached by “a company who wants to promote having affairs”. My contact was flabbergasted at the idea and said they doubted that anyone would take the client on. Sadly, I guess they were wrong.

Blimey. It’s as if we’re powerless to resist ads or use our noggin.

Fat kids and fast food argument again.

If you think that AM advertising is going to make someone suddenly have an affair, you have bigger issues with how you approach your relationships.

@AdGrunt
So what you are saying is; advertising doesnt work?

– The point of Frontier Media’s Ashley Madison advertising campaign is to encourage somebody to have an affair.

They are trying to make it seem normal to have an affair.

They are trying to make it feel acceptable to have an affair.

I agree with you that there are very strong minds in society who will never eat a Big Mac, never buy a scratchy or never visit Ashley Madison.

However The Telegraph reading, channel 7, 9 and 10 consuming general Shane, Wayne, and Shazza public will be curious and will react to marketing of this sort…

Sites like Ashley Madison are not very good for a society where family values are considered important.

No Hot Toaster. That isn’t what I said. You made that up.

Advertising highlights a choice. It does not force an action. If you belive that advertising is as simple as monkey-see, monkey-do then you are terribly optimistic.

If you believe that you or your spouse seeing this ad will cause them to mindlessly have an affair, then you clearly have bigger issues that this highlights.

This applies as much to your pompous self as to those lesser Shanes and Bazzas you seem to want to protect from their own weak minds.

@AdGrunt

I did sound a little pompous in my last post. Ashley Madison could tempt anyone and not just the Telegraph Readers, 7, 9 and 10 viewers etc… (Although ABC listeners would probably be protected…)

Advertising certainly highlights choice, I agree with you there.

Look at the way the big banks highlight choice to their customers and how many wonderful loans are on offer to gobble up. This powerful marketing might has certainly helped to get the world into a credit crisis hasn’t it.

It is not healthy practise to mass market a website like Ashley Madison to mainstream Australia. It is not a good thing to advertise cigarettes to a nation where cancer kills 1 in 3, nor fast food to a nation where per capita obesity levels are the highest in the world… Why make a problem worse?

There are many things that if dumbed down or kept behind closed doors (so to speak) can have a less damaging effect on society. Blatant prime time marketing saying: ‘have an affair’, is one of them. If Ashley Madison is advertised in more relevant media fair enough; if a disheartened hubby were to Google “Looking for an affair” – AM would be a perfect site to find, so seo / sem would be a good marketing tool…

People have been institutionalised to take on enormous amounts of debt, eat Big Macs for dinner and smoke cigarettes.

AdGrunt are you saying that it is perfectly accepteble to add affairs to this list of normalities for Australian society?

You ramble a bit there, with a few very loose assumptions, questionable assertions, false syllogisms, fallacies and some armchair psychology rounded off with a (mis)leading statement. Nice work!

All of which suggests you subscribe to the monkey-see, monkey-do belief in “powerful” marketing. (This also suggests you haven’t been within 100 miles of doing any actual marketing. It does suggest you’re busy most Sunday mornings though. Sorry to call that out and all – how is Jesus Loves Life doing?)

What I believe is that humans / Australians really can work it out for themselves, without (your) censorship or moral guidance – that smoking may kill you, eating a poor diet may make you fat, too much debt may bankrupt you and finally having an affair may ruin (or possibly revive) your marriage.

Most importantly, I can’t wait for this really-fucking-scary gem to be expanded upon…

“There are many things that if dumbed down or kept behind closed doors (so to speak) can have a less damaging effect on society.”

Wow Adgrunt, talk about being a prick! Incase you didn’t actually read Hot Toaster’s last comment they didn’t attack you personally however you have managed to do that within the first paragraph. I didn’t realise that Mumbrella was a site where you could start venting at the persons personal opinion in an immature and pathetic way, but more a forum where you could voice your opinion in regards to the topic and have a good debate going on, but maybe I was wrong. And no I am not a Jesus Loves Life person and I have been in advertising/marketing for the past 19 years. Chill out or grow up, either one…

Is there a point in there Claire?
Read the thread again.

I have been reading the thread Adgrunt, hence the reason why I finally commented on your last remark. I am not going to now get into a slanging match with you. If you had read the thread too you would have seen my much earlier comment before you started in on it.

I’m sorry Claire. What is your point and how has it moved or added to the debate?

Perhaps you could give us some examples of “things that if dumbed down or kept behind closed doors can have less of a damaging effect on society.” your 19 years in marketing must have given you some insight?

I’m really sorry I pointed out the gaping flaws in someone’s argument, but am failing to see how an attack on absurdity is a personal one? Or why Hot Roaster can’t defend themself.

The biggest irony is that you are attacking me on someone else’s behalf whilst adding nothing to the debate.

Why don’t you all go back to work and do something useful 🙂

By now I think the rest of the world (viewers) have forgotten that the ad ever existed…

@AdGrunt

G’Day AdGrunt. For your information I am actually an atheist. It is funny that your perception of somebody who possesses morals and values is of a tambourine smashing “praise the lord” shrieking “busy most Sunday mornings” person…?

AdGrunt, you appear to not believe in the power of mass marketing and how it can institutionalise the masses?

If you don’t understand what I am getting at then I bid you a good day and lets pretend our brief exchange never happened.

As you were…

p.s.
– would it be ironic if the founder of Ashley Madison or indeed Mark O’Brien’s wives / partners left them for another as a result of using Ashley Madison..?

H’mmm?

Noooooooooo. Don’t go. I really want to know more about Big Brother and keeping things behind closed doors.

Do we really want people everyone who visits Sydney to think that we’re all a bunch of philandering, womanising, adulterous scum bags?

Thanks EyeCorp. Maybe they should have some respect and get that ad down now. Eye have a moral obligation to the people of Sydney.

Billboards are the most prominent media available, therefore to have that greeting all people travelling to Sydney is a disgrace. I believe the industry is self regulated, they got rid of the longer sex ad’s, they need to get rid of this.

Eye, you disgust me with your cheap grab for money! Take a look in the mirror and develop some corporate and social responisibility!!!!!!

Gezza, I don’t buy the consenting adults argument. The very nature of an affair means that for every two consenting adults there are two adults that aren’t. And if there are children involved I’m pretty sure they’re not consenting to the pain they would suffer when their parents’ marriage ends.

Adgrunt, I like your faith in people to work it out for themselves, but does that mean that we can advertise anything because people will work it out for themselves? If no, what are the rules? Who makes them?

I believe in the freedom of choice but, in my opinion, that right comes with responsibility. This company takes no responsibility for the pain and suffering that an affair can cause on the other partners and, if any, their children. I also believe it is society’s responsibility to say no to things that are ultimately harmful.

Surely one thing we can all agree on is that cheating in a marriage almost always means divorce and divorce takes a toll on individuals and society both financially and emotionally so why would we risk promoting it?

I agree with you Anonymous, marketers and companies have to take responsibility for what they are selling.

We can’t on one hand talk about the value that marketing plays in getting the consumer to act, then when those actions are morally questionable wash our hands clean and say that its ultimately all up to human choice.

There is no denying that the advertisement is being used as a vehicle to make adults aware that they can cheat on their partners in an easy and discreet manner.

By this token I am certain you would find that the ad would also go a long way towards convincing some people who would have never thought about infidelity (either through lack of options or inclination) that infidelity is both acceptable and accessible.

I have no problem with the site operating, there is no reason why services such as this should exist, and if someone goes out to search for something that will let them cheat on their partner, they will find it regardless of this site or not. But advertising it and putting it in the face of people who would have no reason to look for this material is not right.