Ad Standards Board rules UltraTune ad vilifies women - Collective Shout About About Our Team Board Members Ambassadors Partners Campaigns Campaigns Our Wins Submissions Brands Join Us Join Us Events Become a CSR Pledge Partner Request a speaker Resources Resources Parents and Carers The Research Porn harms News News Media Releases YouTube In the Media Donate Donate Home / News Ad Standards Board rules UltraTune ad vilifies women Posted by Coralie Alison 24081sc on February 24, 2016 Earlier this year UltraTune launched its new series of television commercials which attracted substantial criticism from the broader community. UltraTune opted to screen their ads during the Australian Open while families were watching the tennis. You can read about them in our earlier blog post here. We encouraged people to lodge a complaint with the Advertising Standards Board - some did so for the very first time. Yesterday we heard the news that the Advertising Standards Board had upheld the complaints against UltraTune's ad. The Advertising Standards Board's response said: The Board noted that the intent of the advertisement is to depict two women unexpectedly breaking down – with the advertiser suggesting that regular services from Ultratune will prevent such an ‘unexpected situation.’ The Board accepted that the intent of the advertisement is to show an unrealistic situation. However the Board considered that the women are depicted as unintelligent in the way in which they sit passively, with blank faces, in the car on the train tracks and also in the way they appear to not notice the oncoming train. This behaviour, in the Board’s view, makes the women appear unintelligent and presents them in a stereotypical helpless female situation. In the Board’s view, the depiction of the women’s reaction to their situation is a negative depiction of women and does amount to vilification of women. The Board considered that the advertisement did portray or depict material in a way which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of gender and determined that the advertisement did breach Section 2.1 of the Code. UltraTune responded saying they "intend to seek an independent review of the Board’s decision" and "vigorously dispute these findings". UltraTune executive Chairman Sean Buckley still has the ad available on his YouTube channel at the time of writing. To read the full report click here. UltraTune's refusal to comply with the ASB ruling raises some serious questions about the effectiveness of ad industry self-regulation. The ASB has no power to compel advertisers to abide by its rulings, nor are there any penalties for advertisers who refuse to do so. Companies who have failed to act in line with ASB rulings in the past include Aussie Boat Loans, Wicked Campervans and more recently sex shop Honey Birdette, who posted on their Facebook page "Nobody tells Honey Birdette to take down her signage!" It is clear that industry self regulation is not working. Contact Ultra Tune here Read more about sexploitation at Ultra Tune here ‘We’re not the first company to feel her wrath’: Ultra Tune boss on Collective Shout activist Melinda Liszewski advertising standards board Advertising Standards Bureau asb UltraTune sexism advertising ASB Fails Ultra Tune sexual objectification Ad Standards Panel complaints upheld Do you like this post? Add your comment Be the first to comment Optional email code Sign in with Or sign in with email Remember me or Create an account Optional email code Create an account or Sign in with email Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account. A world free of sexploitation is possible! Optional email code You can defend their right to childhood Your gift will fuel the fight Give Today Sign in with Facebook Sign in with Twitter Sign in with Email Optional email code Subscribe with RSS You can defend their right to childhood A world free of sexploitation is possible! Fuel the Movement Collective Shout Home About FAQ Join Contact Latest Campaigns Honey Birdette Instagram Pornhub Etsy Trending Now eSafety failing our children - Our investigation featured in media - Collective Shout National Child Protection Week 2022: Support our campaigns to protect children and young people - Collective Shout Andrew Tate: A-Grade Poison. What parents and teachers need to know about his indoctrination of boys - Collective Shout Follow us on our socials © 2022 Collective ShoutCreated with Heartburst Sign in with Facebook, Twitter or email. Collective Shout is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee and is governed by a board of directors. We are an independent registered charity with no affiliation to religious or political institutions.