Footy legend Warwick Capper and Pamela Anderson cause uproar over ‘degrading’ Baywatch-inspired ad
Warwick Capper and Pamela Anderson can claim a unique victory, topping the list for the most complained about commercial this year.
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Footy larrikin Warwick Capper’s clumsy efforts to impress busty beach babe Pamela Anderson on a Gold Coast beach has emerged as — by far — the most complained about advertisement of 2020.
Capper’s portrayal of a dopey bloke bogging his dune buggy on a beach and being smashed by a giant wave after being dazzled by Anderson and her squad of Baywatch-inspired life saving beauties in the Ultra Tune Australia advertisement drew 315 complaints to Ad Standards.
Concerns from viewers about the ad covered issues of nudity, exploitative or degrading scenarios, and discrimination against or vilification of women, but all the complaints were dismissed by the Ad Standards Community Panel.
An ad about new period underwear by Modibodi was among the top 10 most complained about advertisements of the year with 45 complaints lodged.
A second version of the ad also made it to the top 10 with 34 complaints.
Fast food giant KFC had three ads in the top 5. The first featured a young woman in a low-cut top checking her reflection in a car window and attracted 187 complaints.
Next up was KFC’s ad featuring a man saying “thank you” to a woman’s comment, “I love you,” as they lay in bed together. It had 66 complaints.
The third KFC ad to raise concern from viewers saw a student say “bucket” and leave an exam to eat KFC with mates.
Forty one people complained that the ad used the word “bucket” as a form of rude language. All were dismissed.
Rounding out the top 10 was rapper Snoop Dogg who had 19 complaints lodged against his Menulog campaign.
In total more than 3400 complaints were lodged with Ad Standards in 2020 in relation to 369 advertisements.