'Sexist' Australian car plate ad shows men farting and picking their noses
A tongue-in-cheek Australian ad campaign aiming to ‘man-proof’ cars by accessorising them with feminine licence plates has received hundreds of complaints.
One ad shows a man with his finger deep in his nose
The ads for ‘MyPlates’, showing women how to reclaim their cars from male partners by purchasing licence plates decorated with shoes, tigerprint and other ‘chic’ vinyls, have offended some who feel the campaign is too strong in its ridicule of men.
The series of ads show, among other things, men letting off wind and picking their noses in their horrified partner’s car.
The website reads: “Have you ever let a man borrow your car only to have him return it with the driver’s seat too far back, the petrol tank empty, and the radio station blaring sports commentary? Behaviour like this is the automotive equivalent of leaving the toilet seat up.
“But now there’s a solution - revolutionary new number plate designs specifically created to deter men from borrowing your car. In fact, he’ll never want to drive it.”
A reported 350 viewers called the Australian Standard Bureau to complain about the ad and it has sparked debate online. Commenters on the YouTube called the ads “stupid” and “disgusting” whereas others saw the funny side.
One commenter said: “I've already complained to the Advertising Standards Council about one of these ads, but it needs others to do it.
“Apart from being disgusting and, in the case of the nose picking one, virtually unwatchable, they're highly sexist, implying that men are all filthy pigs and women have no unpleasant habits whatsoever. Nobody needs this kind of crap.”
Another replied: “Wowswers. You think this is worth complaining about? I laughed myself hoarse watching this!
“You nannies and oldies should never have been taught how to use a computer.”
Daryl Head, chief executive of Custom Creative who created the campaign, said he was "upset" by the number of complaints to the Australian Standards Bureau.
He told Mumbrella: “The ferocity of the complaints has been quite upsetting. They are abusive, and the young ladies handling the complaints for me have been offended. That has rocked our socks off.
“I don’t intend to offend and the ads are not designed to get complaints and get people upset. They are designed to be funny.”