Lesbian drama in top five ad complaints
An advert for Living TV’s lesbian drama, the L Word, received the second largest amount of complaints from viewers last year.
The figures in the Advertising Standard Authority’s (ASA) annual 2005 report revealed 650 complaints regarding posters for the series, which viewers complained were degrading to women.
The ASA, which monitors broadcast and print adverts, rejected protests for that advert as well as the most unpopular KFC advert which got 1,671 complaints for showing call centre staff singing with their mouth full.
Complaints rose by 16 per cent to a record 26,236 last year and 2,241 adverts were removed, according to the report.
ASA chairman Lord Borrie said in the report, “The number of complaints received during the year has risen by 16 per cent compared to 2004. Not, I believe, because advertising standards have deteriorated, or because the public has become more inclined to object, but rather because the one-stop shop system now in operation has made it easier and simpler to lodge a complaint.”
The other top complaints were for the Pot Noodle horn advert, a mannequin getting aroused in a Mazda and for Ryanair, these were all rejected.
Viewers did gain success in removing the universally annoying Crazy Frog Jamster advert, which got 298 complaints.
