The top 10 most complained about ads from the past 20 years
Summary
Sportsbet — 792 complaints (2018) Verdict: Upheld The Australian betting company has always pushed the envelope with its advertising campaigns, but this ad shows a man naked from the waist up who appears to be ‘manscaping’. Ashley Madison — 643 complaints (2014) Verdict: Dismissed When you’re selling a product as risqué as systematic adultery, you’re bound to step on a few toes along the way. Neds — 303 complaints (2017) Verdict: Dismissed This gambling ad shows a man excusing himself from a family dinner with his partner to take a phone call and use the app and placing bets. Stuart Alexander — 283 complaints (2006) Verdict Dismissed The Mentos ad shows a man’s nipples getting longer as he walks around town using them to do various tasks. Complaints levelled against the ad cited a portrayal of sex/sexuality/nudity within the advertisement: “It looked pornographic… The fact that this product is supposed to bring your nipples out is having a go at women.” “I felt that the sexual message conveyed and the unhygienic act of using body parts to touch public property was highly inappropriate.”