Advertising Standards Bureau Review of Operations 2014 | Page 34

Exploitative & Degrading
(Section 2.2, AANA Code
of Ethics)
Section 2.2 of the Code concerning the use of
sexual appeal in a manner which is exploitative
and degrading was introduced in 2012. This
section takes into account the objectification of
children, men and women and requires that the
advertisement use sexual appeal in a manner that
is both exploitative and degrading in order to
be in breach of the Code. Common complaints
under Section 2.2 of the Code focus on use of
women’s bodies and use of women as sexual
objects, and concerns about relevance images may
have to the product or service advertised.

Children
The AANA Code of Ethics Practice Note
provides the following additional guidelines for
advertisers regarding exploitative and degrading
content concerning children: in advertisements
where images of children are used, sexual appeal
is not acceptable and will always be regarded as
exploitative and degrading. In 2014 the Board
found one advertisement in breach of Section 2.2
in relation to images of children.
Concern about exploitative and degrading
imagery of a child was raised in a motorcycle
leather gear advertisement (Mars Leather –
0225/14) which featured a group of men dressed
in denim and leather and a naked toddler wearing
boots and sunnies. The young boy is apparently
naked with his groin covered by the wooden
paling of the fence with the group standing
behind. In the Board’s view the image is intended
to suggest that the boy is naked except for leather
boots, noting since its original publication over
30 years ago, there had been a significant increase
in public awareness and sensitivity regarding
images of children. While acknowledging that the
image was intended to be an innocent portrayal
of a young boy trying to appear tough alongside
the grown men, the Board took into account the
Practice Note to the Code which leaves the Board
obliged to uphold a complaint if there is any
suggestion of sexual appeal in the advertisement.
The Board view was that the advertisement
employed what might be considered by some
members of the community as sexual appeal.

Men
In 2014 there were no cases considered by the
Board concerning exploitative and degrading
imagery of men. Complaints regarding
discrimination or vilificatio