Mother’s complaint over sex education ‘Talking Frank’ advertisement on Sydney bus
Australia’s Ad Standards have tossed out a disgruntled mother’s complaint over a cartoon ad for a sex education podcast on a bus serving two Sydney private schools, which she claimed was “sexual grooming”.
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Australia’s Ad Standards board has tossed out a complaint over a sex education podcast ad on a Sydney school bus, which a concerned mother slammed for “sexual grooming”.
The ad for Family Planning Australia’s “Talking Frank” podcast – which reportedly appeared on a bus travelling between Dural’s Redfield College and Cherrybrook’s Tangara School for Girls – features cartoon legs in underwear and socks.
A QR code with the words “Talking Frank – A podcast covering every nook and cranny of Australia’s sex life. Listen now. New episodes weekly” allows viewers to quickly access the podcast.
The complainant alleged the advertisement was inappropriate, allowing children catching public transport to easily “access explicit and harmful material of a sexual nature”.
“It’s sexual grooming,” the concerned mother said.
She said advertising content on public buses should consider all ages.
“The kids who catch buses are as young as six years old and many have phones as they may need to contact their parents if they miss a connection,” the complainant said.
“I‘m disgusted my son should be exposed to this on his travel home from school,” they said.
The podcast targets 18 to 29 year olds, intending to educate and improve sexual health.
The podcast covers STI prevention and treatment through “frank” discussions with experts, advocates and young people.
The creator of the advertisement, Family Planning Australia (FPA) responded that the podcast does “not employ sexual appeal as part of the overall content”.
“People standing in underwear and socks is not intrinsically sexual,” FPA said.
FPA said the word “sex” is used only to reference the topic rather than sexual appeal.
They further claim the advertisement and its content is not specifically directed toward children.
They claim the use of colour and its colourful design is to attract general attention rather than children.
“Animation as a visual technique is often used in targeting an adult audience and is not necessarily indicative of a marketing communication directed primarily to children,” FPA submitted.
FPA also claimed the language was not targeted at children – and said the phrase ‘nook and cranny’ is adultlike language of a “mature nervacular and concept”.
In reviewing the complaint, the Ad Standards Community Panel said the word sex itself does not make an advertisement inappropriate.
“However, such advertisements must not contain images that are overtly sexual and inappropriate having regard to the relevant audience,” the panel stated in a written judgment.
The panel noted that the cartoon legs depicted in the advertisement are not shown interacting or engaging in sexual activity.
They considered that the cartoon images depicted were appropriately covered and were not deemed explicit.
The Panel determined the advertisement did treat sex, sexuality and nudity with “sensitivity to the relevant audience” and did not breach Section 2.4 of the Code.
The complaint was dismissed.
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