ASA Adjudication on Sticky Baits
Walling Fen Park
7 April 2010
Number of complaints:
An ad in Crafty Carper magazine, for Sticky Baits, showed a woman’s bare legs from the thigh down. She wore black stilettos and had a pair of black knickers around her ankles. A stack of Sticky Baits Aviator Pop Ups stood alongside. Text stated “How long do yours stay up? …”.
The complainant believed the ad was offensive, because it was sexist and derogatory to women.
CAP Code (Edition 11)
Sticky Baits said the ad's message was intended to convey the buoyancy of Sticky Baits Aviator Pop Ups. They explained that the problem most anglers had with pop ups was that they did not stay up in the water long enough, which was referred to in the headline "How long do yours stay up?". They believed the ad, which was designed by a woman, was neither sexist nor derogatory to women and said the fallen knickers were used as a visual pun, reflecting the headline.
Sticky Baits said they had received no other complaints about the ad, which appeared in magazines read predominantly by men, and believed no serious or widespread offence had been caused by it. Regardless, they apologised for any offence the ad had caused.
Crafty Carper magazine did not comment.
The ASA understood that the ad's sexual innuendo might be seen as inappropriate for those readers who felt the image bore no resemblance to the product advertised. We considered however that, while it was likely to be deemed as tasteless and crass by some, the image was not explicit and likely to be understood, in the context of a magazine aimed specifically at anglers, as a reference to the products capabilities.
We concluded that the ad was unlikely to cause widespread offence or serious offence to readers of Crafty Carper magazine.
We investigated the ad under CAP Code clause 5.1 (Decency) but did not find it in breach.
No further action required.
Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)