Erine SPANK'd...
Bayantel Billboard Ad
This is another example of a print ad that uses sexually implicit content in the wrong context. As you can see, the copy reads: "Satisfaction guarantee" (Wrong spelling, it should be "Satisfaction guaranteed") and the visual shows a woman in a state of ecstacy.Ok, sure some people would say that its ad isn't sexually implict since it doesn't expose any private parts, but then again, exactly what kind of satisfaction is the ad talking about? The satisfaction of using Bayantel's telephone services? Or the sexual kind of satisfaction? A foul-mouthed cynic could probably say "Look at the logo, stupid!", but then again, if someone who didn't know what Bayantel was would mistake the ad for something other than a telephone service provider's print ad. What I don't understand is why a company would even want to advertise using sexually implicit content when it has nothing to do with the brand anyway. Is it because are they not confident about their product or service that they have to use something like this to grab attention? Sexually implicit content may at first grab one's eye but its just that. It doesn't even sell the product or service anyway so why bother using it? Might as well show the exact benefit or value that you can get out of the product (or service, in this case), to the intended target market, otherwise don't bother advertising!
For reference, here's a section of the Advertising Code of Ethics that we found useful for this Ad:
Advertising Code of Ethics – Art. IV, Sec. 1, # 4:
“Profanity, obscenity and vulgarity, or presentations which are offensive to contemporary standards of decency or morals, shall not be allowed, even when understood only by part of the audience.”