Banned Advertisements: What were they thinking?

Cheeky Employee

We sometimes think that anything goes with ads, as long as the products get sold.  But there are some regulations that can see an ad banned very quickly.  A new set of laws around sexist and body-shaming ads has just emerged from Europe and the world seems to be adopting them very quickly.  Let us have a look at some banned ads to determine why they were banned and whether the judgment was fair.

Body Banning:

So everyone has probably heard about these ads by now.  They were banned by the new laws about body-shaming or sexist ads.  This ad was seen as objectifying woman and placing unrealistic expectations upon their bodies.  It could be harmful to children and adults alike as it could promote unhealthy eating disorders while these women are striving for this unrealistic shape.

Opposition to this ban has stated that banning a woman’s body from public view is also sexist and they asked how a body shape that the real model possed could be deemed unrealistic.

What do you think?  Should this ad be banned?

Childish Endangerment:

The above ad was banned for showing a child in a dangerous situation.  We all know why sitting on a train track could be deadly, but opposition to the ad claimed that the child could easily move away if a train was to come her way.  She had not been bound in any way, but we all know kids can be impressionable and lack judgement.

Do you agree with the ban of this ad?  Has it saved the lives of kids wanting to imitate the girl in the picture?

Two-Faced:

These images were banned from appearing in the foundation ad, because they were flagged for false advertising.  The skins of the models had been overly photoshopped and airbrushed, making them seem smoother and more perfect.  This was an attempt to protect the consumer, but where do they draw the line?  How much photoshop is too much and should airbrushing be allowed on makeup ads at all?

What do you think of this ban? Agree?

Banking on Controversy:

Nando’s is famous for their ads getting banned and they thrive off of the controversy.  Above are two examples of them using any publicity as good publicity and jumping on popular talking points. Some may say that the world has gone soft and we are too sensitive to Nando’s humour, others just feel as if they are making money off of other people’s suffering.

What do you say?