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Beer boobs ads a boo-boo
Article from: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane
Peter Mickelburough
June 13, 2007 12:00am
BEER ads starring a bikini-clad woman under the title "Hahn boobs" are under fire for offensive sexism.
Victoria's peak health advisory body, VicHealth, has written to the Advertising Standards Bureau asking for the ads to be shelved.
VicHealth boss Todd Harper said the treatment of women in the ads on television and the internet was appalling.
In the television advertisment promoting low carb beer Hahn Superdry, a young man turns a love heart drawn in the sand by a bikini-wearing woman into a pair of breasts before swigging from a beer bottle.
The internet site, Hahn Boobs, takes the campaign a step further.
Have a look at the Hahn Boobs site then scroll down and tell us if you think it's sexist or harmless fun.
"Our concern is not only the TV ad but the internet component which takes it to extremes in the inappropriate portrayal of drinking and sexual prowess," Mr Harper said.
Those who enter the Hahn website are confronted by a close-up video clip of a woman's hands holding a pair of naked breasts moving in motion to music.
As the shot widens, the breasts are revealed to be those of an obese man being held by a woman standing behind him.
The clip ends with the slogan: "Boobs, great on women. Not so good on men."
Online visitors are then encouraged to watch the TV ad with an invitation to "watch the real love boobs".
Visitors are also invited to "take her home" by downloading her image.
"Reducing it to a discussion of boobs seems to be quite a deliberate strategy and one that women would be entitled to feel was quite degrading," Mr Harper said.
"Men as well should feel aggrieved that consuming beer equates with issues of sex and sexuality and women's bodies."
Mr Harper said an interactive component that allows photos to be uploaded and a customised version of the ad to be sent to friends, could also attract young teens to the site.
The ad is not the first internet beer ad to be accused of being offensive.
In December 2004 the industry's own advertising body deemed a raunchy Boags promotion offensive.
That campaign depicted women in sexually provocative poses with Boags Premium Lager bottles, including the image of a woman sitting next to a Boags bottle with legs apart, exposing her underwear.
Mr Harper said the Hahn ads also breached the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code, which says liquor ads must not suggest consumption of alcohol causes or contributes to the achievement of sexual success.
Mr Harper said the ad also breached the Australian Association of National Advertisers' code of ethics, which says ads will treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity and not discriminate against or vilify people or a section of the community on the basis of sex.
Lion Nathan spokesman James Tait said he was not aware of the VicHealth complaint but defended the ad.
"Clearly we think the ad is entirely appropriate," he said.
"Our tracking suggests that most people see the ads as they are intended, as a bit of fun around the lack of self-awareness of the male character," he said.
"The online component is a light-hearted way of communicating the low carb message and that's the way it has been received by the community."
A complaint against the TV ad was dismissed in January by the Advertising Standards Bureau.
In April the bureau also dismissed a complaint against a pay-TV Jim Beam ad that featured an attractive brunette woman in a nightclub.
"Actually I've never had a boyfriend. Not one, no. I've always preferred girls. I guess I just find them more fascinating," the woman says.
An attractive young blonde woman then joins her, touching her leg and putting her arm around her shoulders.
"This is my girlfriend. I don't know why, but blokes just don't do it for me.
"I just love girls." the first woman says.
A male voiceover concludes: "The tragedy. Jim Beam. Bourbon."
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...39-953,00.html
Article from: The Courier-Mail, Brisbane
Peter Mickelburough
June 13, 2007 12:00am
BEER ads starring a bikini-clad woman under the title "Hahn boobs" are under fire for offensive sexism.
Victoria's peak health advisory body, VicHealth, has written to the Advertising Standards Bureau asking for the ads to be shelved.
VicHealth boss Todd Harper said the treatment of women in the ads on television and the internet was appalling.
In the television advertisment promoting low carb beer Hahn Superdry, a young man turns a love heart drawn in the sand by a bikini-wearing woman into a pair of breasts before swigging from a beer bottle.
The internet site, Hahn Boobs, takes the campaign a step further.
Have a look at the Hahn Boobs site then scroll down and tell us if you think it's sexist or harmless fun.
"Our concern is not only the TV ad but the internet component which takes it to extremes in the inappropriate portrayal of drinking and sexual prowess," Mr Harper said.
Those who enter the Hahn website are confronted by a close-up video clip of a woman's hands holding a pair of naked breasts moving in motion to music.
As the shot widens, the breasts are revealed to be those of an obese man being held by a woman standing behind him.
The clip ends with the slogan: "Boobs, great on women. Not so good on men."
Online visitors are then encouraged to watch the TV ad with an invitation to "watch the real love boobs".
Visitors are also invited to "take her home" by downloading her image.
"Reducing it to a discussion of boobs seems to be quite a deliberate strategy and one that women would be entitled to feel was quite degrading," Mr Harper said.
"Men as well should feel aggrieved that consuming beer equates with issues of sex and sexuality and women's bodies."
Mr Harper said an interactive component that allows photos to be uploaded and a customised version of the ad to be sent to friends, could also attract young teens to the site.
The ad is not the first internet beer ad to be accused of being offensive.
In December 2004 the industry's own advertising body deemed a raunchy Boags promotion offensive.
That campaign depicted women in sexually provocative poses with Boags Premium Lager bottles, including the image of a woman sitting next to a Boags bottle with legs apart, exposing her underwear.
Mr Harper said the Hahn ads also breached the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code, which says liquor ads must not suggest consumption of alcohol causes or contributes to the achievement of sexual success.
Mr Harper said the ad also breached the Australian Association of National Advertisers' code of ethics, which says ads will treat sex, sexuality and nudity with sensitivity and not discriminate against or vilify people or a section of the community on the basis of sex.
Lion Nathan spokesman James Tait said he was not aware of the VicHealth complaint but defended the ad.
"Clearly we think the ad is entirely appropriate," he said.
"Our tracking suggests that most people see the ads as they are intended, as a bit of fun around the lack of self-awareness of the male character," he said.
"The online component is a light-hearted way of communicating the low carb message and that's the way it has been received by the community."
A complaint against the TV ad was dismissed in January by the Advertising Standards Bureau.
In April the bureau also dismissed a complaint against a pay-TV Jim Beam ad that featured an attractive brunette woman in a nightclub.
"Actually I've never had a boyfriend. Not one, no. I've always preferred girls. I guess I just find them more fascinating," the woman says.
An attractive young blonde woman then joins her, touching her leg and putting her arm around her shoulders.
"This is my girlfriend. I don't know why, but blokes just don't do it for me.
"I just love girls." the first woman says.
A male voiceover concludes: "The tragedy. Jim Beam. Bourbon."
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...39-953,00.html
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