A snackfood ad where a woman licks a man's face has been cleared by the advertising watchdog despite complainants calling it “soft porn” and claiming it showcases “foreplay”.
The ad, for Fantastic Snacks brand Delites, shows a couple watching TV with the woman giving the man a kiss. She tastes something nice and begins to lick the man's face until she realises the taste is coming from the Delites he was eating.
However, the ad received numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) for its treatment of sex and sexuality.
“It is sexual because it has a man and woman conducting what can only be considered as foreplay, because she is licking and kissing him around the mouth area,” the complainant said.
“If this was being done to a child it would be considered child pornography. If this was being done between two adults not in a sexual relationship it would be just plain weird. But because it is by two consenting adults who are clearly in a relationship, it is foreplay.
“It upsets my 85-year old mother because she does not like being inflicted with such explicit content, and it revolts every other adult and teenager in my family.”
Another complaint said: “This commercial has a perverted nature, it’s basically soft porn. l find it extremely offensive to watch a female licking the male’s face around his mouth in a sexual manner.”
“It is filthy and sends the wrong message about acceptable social conduct. It's absolutely disgraceful. How it was approved in this country is unfathomably embarrassing. Get it off the air.”
Fantastic Snacks rejected the complaints noting that “the kiss which discovered the great tasting crackers was simple affection, and arguably an everyday occurrence that people are witnessed to.”
The ASB also dismissed the complaints on all accounts.
“The board noted that the woman begins licking the man’s mouth when she tastes the flavour of the snack he has been eating and considered that the overall theme of the advertisement is around the taste of the product rather than sexual activity,” The ASB said in its determination.
“The board acknowledged that some members of the community would be uncomfortable with such displays of affection, but considered that consistent with previous determinations against advertisements which show couples kissing the couple are fully clothed and there is no suggestion of any further intimacy and the style of kissing is not of itself inappropriate.”
However, complaints are continuing on the brand's Facebook page with one commenter noting a previous ASB decision on the ad, in which the ASB board called the advertisement "funny".
"I just read their response. It was dated back to 2008 - I have lodged mine and waiting for a response. It seems Fantastic is also not listening to their consumers. Sure they would have lost many buyers though," a commenter said.
Another said: "Not a good role model for the young. How about some good taste? Young people will see this and think it's cool and okay to behave like this."
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