Adelaide Cylinder Heads billboard on Port Rd not in breach of advertising standards

A billboard for an Adelaide car mechanic that’s been up for 15 years has survived a complaint – with the owner saying people find it hilarious.

A cheeky Port Rd billboard that advertises “the best head jobs in town” can stay up after an advertising watchdog dismissed a single complaint against it.

The innuendo-filled promotion for Beverley-based Adelaide Cylinder Heads and Just Heads Performance had been making people laugh since it was erected about 15 years ago, co-owner Gary Pelham said.

The company has used the slogan to advertise its cylinder head business since it opened its doors in 1991 and never had a complaint – until now.

In their submission, the complainant told Australia’s advertising regulator Ad Standards that the sign could be seen by all members of the public “including families of young children”.

It was dismissed last month.

The billboard has been mounted on the property of the Port Rd business for around 15 years.

Mr Pelham said the sign often gets a laugh out of people.

“People go past and take photographs of it and come in and say ‘I like your sign’,” he said.

“You might get a phone call saying ‘how much’ and then you get a giggle on the phone.”

Adelaide Cylinder Heads co-owner Gary Pelham says the business has used the phrase ‘the best head jobs in town’ to advertise themselves for decades. Picture: Natalie Vikhrov

The term ‘head job’ is frequently used in reference to a mechanical service that involves repairing or replacing the cylinder head inside engines.

In its response to the complaint, the business noted the phrase forms “part of the identity and advertising for our well-known local business”.

“It would be disappointing and a shame to remove our advertising after all these years of positive feedback from all the people that we have dealt with,” the business said.

“You can never please everybody in the community and it’s unfortunate that someone has found our company’s advertising offensive.”

An Ad Standards panel dismissed the complaint in June after finding the advertisement did not breach the code.

“The panel considered that the sexual innuendo in the advertisement was mild and had another meaning routinely relevant to the services provided by the business,” the report said.

“The panel considered that the language in the advertisement was appropriate in the circumstances and was not strong or obscene.”

Mr Pelham said everyone had “their own views on certain things” but welcomed the panel’s ruling.

“The sign will be staying up there,” he said.