We are seeing increasingly sexually provocative or otherwise
off-colour ads in Australia and I am wondering whether the same sort
of thing exists in other parts of the world. One add recently
re-released features a beautiful 20s somthing young woman releasing
ants onto her leg which she coaxes to crawl up her naked leg onto her
pelvis covered with a pair of ladies panties,  as she lays back on her
bed. Once the ants have successfully made the journey and the camera
shows the ants all nestled on her crutch she calls upon her pet
Echidna( an Australian animal like a porcupine with a huge long thin
nose and similarly long tongue) to attack the ants with a vigour,( if
you get my drift)
 The add is advertsing the panties as I remember and originally  the
offending part was cut out but is now back in full. Another new add
shows a man at the zoo photographing his family in front of the
monkey's cage. Just as he clicks photo one monkey begins masturbating
vigorously. Add is advertising digital cameras making the point that
spolied photos cost nothing to replace if you use a digital camera

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Clarification of Question by johnfrommelbourne-ga on 29 Apr 2003 07:51 PDT

.. and as the echidna moves to attack and lick the ants to death he
roars with delight at the prospect!!

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Request for Question Clarification by jumpingjoe-ga on 29 Apr 2003 18:38 PDT

Hi there John, and thanks for this question. I can if you like answer
with a discussion on the rules of advertisements in the UK and US, and
say whether as a result that commercial is likely to be permitted.

Please let me know if this would suffice as an answer.

Regards,

Joe

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Clarification of Question by johnfrommelbourne-ga on 30 Apr 2003 03:24 PDT

Dear Jumping Joe, Yes that would be OK in the circumstances. It was
not my intention at all to seek  comments as answers and therefore pay
nothing for the priveledge of getting the  right answer. However that
is apparently what I have achieved as it is fairly clear from comments
that it would definately not be permissable on US TV at least. I now
perhaps look like a few other unscrupulous people who have engineered
question wording and otherwise ensured that they get back good
responses but pay zero for the priveledge. I have always paid for my
questions and usually given fives stars (although once or twice 3 and
4) as my way of acknowledgeing what great work the researcher has put.
Let this be no exception so that if you think you can come up with the
definitive answer based on the media laws and regulations of both
countries then please go ahead.

Uh Uh, no way, not in the ol' U.S of A.

Hi Johnfrommelbourne, I remember this ad very well because I was doing
a course in  advertising copywriting at the time and we had to study
(!) it and I too thought it was beyond the pale. If you recall, the
echidna's name is Rex. The name of the underwear is called Antz Pantz
and the working title that the ad agency gave to the ad was "Oedipus
Rex". Hmmmmm.

I don't know about Great Britain, but Pafalafa-ga is right.  It
wouldn't even come close to being aired in the United States on
broadcast TV.

It certainly is not just tv, Europeans are much more relaxed than
Americans (as well as Canadians although we are not quite as tight
either). I hear that women in Europe wander around on the streets
without tops... would you see that in the USA or Canada? Not as
likely, nor would it be as accepted. Take a look at slavery and the
countries that got rid of it first (also geographical areas in the
US). It just seems to me that certain places (is evolve the word??)
faster than others... but on a whole change will happen everywhere.

I think a better question/answer to this would go beyond tv, and take
a look at the differences between acceptable behavior in different
countries.. and take a look at what kind of differences there are, and
also why these differences are there.

NOTE: This is just an uninformed opinion of mine... certainly not set
in stone. Just some of my thoughts and discussions with others put in
writing. :)

tisme-ga

Hi johnfrommelbourne,

In the title of your question you asked... "Would these Australian
advertisments be allowed in prime time in USA or GB??"

I can tell you for sure about the US that neither prime time or off
time or any time would this be permitted.

Regards,

tlspiegel
Google Answers Researcher

Actually, I remember seeing this exact commercial on a US show on Fox
called "Banned in America:  World's Sexiest Commercials."  Most of the
commercials, despite being sexier than what we normally see, also
showed a higher level of wit and humor.  I thought the ant one was
VERY clever and funny - but wouldn't want to have to explain it to a
2-year-old.

As an interesting piece of information for yourself and others in the
future there is a rather nice database of commercials that I ran
across in France. If you're really interested in seeing what
commercials are shown in other countries this is an excellent
resource. Enjoy!

http://www.adeater.com/bin/view.cgi?/usr2/internet/www/adeater/welcome2.html,1,ZurlW/MULTI/html/cinema.htmlZ

Actually, topless women *can* legally be seen in the U.S. I'm not sure
if this is state-by-state or even county-by-county, but I know that in
certain parts of California and Oregon it's perfectly legal.

kriswrite

Maybe they should have put a Herbst appliance on the echidna!

Yes thanks to all who offered comments and clarified things for me,
nothwithstanding what I wrote in " clarification" section which still
stands. Not sure what stressedMum means by a herbst appliance but if
someone can assist there that would be welcome too.

 Johnfrommelbourne

The Herbst appliance came up in a previous question:

- http://answers.google.com/answers/main?cmd=threadview&id=197812

You can see a picture of the dreaded device here:

- http://www.cvillebraces.com/photo15.jpg