The Australian advertising industry regulator, Ad Standards, has released a list of the top 10 most complained-about TV commercials so far this year. From reading between the lines, it looks like sooky MRAs and boomers are to blame.
The organisation received 2,245 complaints in total in the first six months of 2021, ranging from valid complaints about gross stuff to, well, the regulator being inundated by men’s rights activists whinging about the depictions of men compared to women.
Most of the ads that made the list ended up being not too bad, to be honest. Their rankings appear to be more reflective of how many boring and overly-sensitive people watch TV in Australia.
Without further ado, here are the top 10 Aussie TV commercial which received the most complaints from pissed off boomers or, occasionally, ordinary people with valid concerns.
10. Finish dishwashing liquid
People complained that Reckitt Benckiser (the company which makes Finish products) mislead people by selectively using facts to promote its own dishwashing liquid.
“All claims are misleading and would seem untrue. Because it is a bunch of lies putting itself forward as truth,” one person wrote in their complaint.
The company denied these claims, provided evidence to the contrary, and the complaints were dismissed.
9. eHarmony
People got shitty that a series of different eHarmony ads were too raunchy.
“It’s just to graphic for me to watch men kissing or females kissing in erotic scenes,” one complaint read.
Quite a few of the complaints related to the scenes showing same-sex intimacy, while someone said kissing isn’t COVID-safe. Sounds like those people are the problem, not the ads themselves. The complaints were dismissed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymSwjMkg2Fs
8. Volvo
The complains relate to a different version of the below ad which show a mother falling asleep at the wheel, but being saved when the car automatically stays in its own lane.
“This is disturbing and will lead to people driving when tired and relying on technology to save them,” said one disgruntled viewer.
It’s pretty grim, and the actual ad appears to have been removed from the internet. In this instance, viewers’ complains were upheld by the regulator.
7. Kia
People complained about a different version of the below ad which showed the three cars simultaneously pulling a J-turn really fast. The complaint were upheld and that version of the ad appears to be gone.
“We live in an age of easily influenced young offenders and other mindless people who get their kicks out of stealing cars, or hotting up cars and then hooning in suburban streets at night and thumbing their nose at the authorities. All incredibly stuped. [sic] Where is the moral conscience?” wrote one person in a long and rambling complaint. Someone else said the tyres screeching made them look out the window in case there had been a crash.
However, it’s important to realise the cars in the ad are literally two SUVs and a minivan. Kia is not out here fostering the next generation of hoons. Some people are so boring.
6. The Conjuring – The Devil Made Me Do It
A 30-second TV commercial for The Conjuring – The Devil Made Me Do It received 15 complaints about violence and scary theme, mostly from people with young children.
“Terrifying images of demon possession for such an early time slot,” said one viewer.
The complaints were dismissed but the ad appears not to be available online. We’ve included the full movie trailer below for reference. A terrifying ad for a terrifying movie being too terrifying for TV? Sounds about right.
5. Huddle Insurance
A bunch of people were apparently offended by two ads which parody rich women talking about their niece and husband, respectively.
“The advert is very demeaning to the young girl on it. It is suggestive and borders on bullying,” complained one person.
Some people also found the other version of the ad sexist and pulled the ‘what if it was a woman card’. Boring. The complaints were dismissed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrFNM2zT9aw
4. NRMA Insurance
People were apparently livid over this insurance ad which depicted children putting up signs against trees being marked for removal, because they’re also the homes of koalas.
One viewer said the ad was “promoting children [sic] to commit acts of enviromental [sic] terrorism.”
The 17 complains were dismissed, but the ad doesn’t appear to be online anymore, which is a shame. We’ve induced another ad from the same series is below. It’s cute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrRocV-oBgw
3. South Australia Police
This ad against drink driving features a dude going from the pub after having a few too many drinks. He gets in his car, and we hear his internal monologue mull over all the different excuses. At the end he admits he’s a “selfish prick.”
“This is a vulgar word, which, by using it in an ad can now be perceived as being a term that can be used in public,” claimed one person.
This tiny bit of mild profanity was enough to prompt 43 different complains. A few MRAs also reckoned it was sexist for not using the phrase “selfish cunt” instead. If you’re upset by an anti-drink-driving campaign, maybe get your priorities in check. People who drink and drive are indeed selfish pricks.
2. Aussie Broadband
A massive 74 people felt the need to complain about this completely innocuous series of ads which, at the very end, repeat the slogan: “Bloody good broadband.” It’s unclear how those people who complained go about their everyday life in Australia. Some whiny men also took issue with the fact that the man in some of the ads was made to look like a “halfwit” in front of his female neighbour.
“If the roles were reversed I have no doubt what so ever that there would be every feminist outrage in the country complaining about role modelling and the unfairness of a female depicted in this offensive manner,” said one person.
Sheesh. The complaints were dismissed.
1. Crazy Domains
Yeah, this one is actually a bit gross. That’s why 283 people decided to complain about this ad which vividly shows a man pissing on the side of a building with ASMR-like sound effects.
“I think this is disgusting. The Ad plays at breakfast time and dinner time,” said one person.
The complaints were upheld.
