ASA rules Asda Christmas TV ad was not sexist
Supermarket chain Asda has been cleared of airing a sexist television advert over the Christmas holidays following an investigation by the ASA according to Insider Media..
Created by Saatchi & Saatchi the commercial depicted a mother undertaking various seasonal tasks such as buying a tree, wrapping presents and cooking the Christmas turkey. Overlaid upon these scenes was a narration which intoned: “It doesn't just happen by magic. Behind every great Christmas, there's mum, and behind mum there's Asda."
The contentious screening elicited 620 complaints from riled viewers on the grounds that it was sexist and offensive for ‘reinforcing household stereotypes’.
Others bemoaned the lack of recognition of fathers and the possible deleterious effects on watching children without mothers.
Dismissing these fears however the ASA concluded that the majority of customers would identify with the yuletide spirit, noting an Asda survey of 1,896 mums which found 8 in 10 assumed responsibility for shopping and wrapping.
The ASA further found that the ad was not likely to be seen as endorsing sexist or discriminatory behaviour and was thus unlikely to cause offence.