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Here’s what people are complaining about when it comes to the ads that have annoyed them the most

Jul 08, 2016

While advertising has got creative over the years, it can’t be denied that many people aren’t too accepting of “out-there” ideas – and they will make their displeasure known. The Advertising Standards Bureau is the place to go to lodge such complaints in Australia.

The Bureau’s list of the ten most complained-about ads in the country has just been released for the first half of 2016, and ads which have pushed the boundaries of social norms seem to be at the top of people’s -I-don’t-want-to-see-this lists.

Discrimination and exploitation concerns made up the majority of complaints against the 10 most complained about advertisements for the first half of 2016. Of the advertisements in the 10 most complained about list, three were found to breach the AANA Code of Ethics.

Some of the ads in the list manage to take three spots each, so there are definitely a few taboos across the nation.

The top 10 on the list are:

1 – Ultra Tune Australia – Two women in skin tight outfits dancing with the tagline ‘we’re into rubber’.
No. of complaints: 418

2, 3 and 5 – Meat & Livestock Australia Ltd – Newsreader Lee Lin Chin promotes gives the instruction to commence ‘Operation Boomerang’ – a recovery mission of rescuing Australians from various countries so that they will be able to eat lamb on Australia Day.
No. of complaints: 376 for 2, 241 for 3, 130 for 5

4 – Ultra Tune Australia – Two women are in a car which breaks down on train tracks.
No. of complaints: 208

6 – Ultra Tune Australia – Two women are in a car which goes off a cliff after being put into the wrong gear.
No. of complaints: 101

7 – Roadshow Film Distributors Pty Ltd – Advertising for upcoming horror movie.
No. of complaints: 80

8 – Medibank Private Ltd – It showed different family groups and highlighted that their product would be good for all of them.
No. of complaints: 66

9 – Honey Birdette – Window poster showing woman from behind in revealing underwear.
No. of complaints: 59

10 – Ultra Tune Australia – Two women in tight black suits play with tennis balls.
No. of complaints: 54

To see the ads and read the best complaints, click here.