The company pointed out the discrepancy between the banning of their ad, while another ad for Homepride that lampooned men (which received over 800 complaints) was declared ‘not offensive’.
Federici said today that other advertisers had contacted them about starting a campaign to question the authority of the ASA.
Antonio Federici creative director, Matt O’Connor, said: “The decision by the ASA raises the question as to what moral authority and weight the organisation carries. Does it truly reflect the tastes and sensitivities of the public? The ASA declared that the Homepride ad wasn’t offensive. However, if the roles of the genders had been reversed, it would have been banned without hesitation. Is the ASA suffering from ‘brain freeze’?
”If the ASA judgements are out of step with public mood and taste, the credibility of the organisation could be irrevocably damaged by inconsistencies in their rulings.”
Antonio Federici intends to run a new variation of the ad later this month.
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