Ad Standards, Australia's advertising regulator, reviewed hundreds of ads this year and has revealed the ten that stood out for triggering a spike in public complaints.
From scary zombies to rude gestures, the range of concerns shows Australians are quick to call out advertising they believe crosses a line.
Among the more than 230 ads assessed by the Ad Standards Community Panel in 2025, a series of ads featuring Kia's zombie-proof electric vehicles drew the most attention.
Most concerns centred on the use of zombies, with many of the 86 complainants worried the imagery could frighten children.
While the Ad Standards Community Panel decided the ads weren't overly scary or graphic, one execution was found to breach the motor vehicle advertising rules for depicting a remote parking assist feature in a way likely to contravene road rules.
A Dettol hand sanitiser ad also sparked reaction. The ad featured a series of everyday, somewhat uncomfortable moments, including a child picking their nose.
Some complainants described the scenes as gross and sickening. Despite these reactions, the Community Panel found the ad complied with the advertising rules, noting that it did not encourage behaviour that was unhealthy or unsafe.
Ad Standards, paying close attention to community sentiment as societal expectations evolve, received close to 5,000 complaints about advertising this year.
"Australians care deeply about the advertising they see and hear every day and aren't afraid to speak up if they think a brand has overstepped," said Ad Standards executive director Greg Wallace.
"We take that feedback seriously and work closely with industry to support responsible advertising."
The issues that attracted the most complaints in 2025 were sex and nudity, followed by violence, then health and safety.
Ad Standards also heard from many Australians who were put off by ads they considered tasteless, gross or relied too heavily on shock value.
"This year we saw a number of complaints from people who were turned off by ads they felt crossed the line on taste," Wallace said.
"While shock tactics may seem appealing from a creative standpoint, they can quickly backfire. Australians respond far more positively to advertising that's clever and creative rather than deliberately provocative."
Decisions on complaints are made by the Ad Standards Community Panel, a diverse group of Australians representing a wide range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives.
Ad Standards 10 most complained about:
- Kia Australia – 86 complaints (breach – motor vehicle advertising rules)
- Dettol – 70 complaints (no breach)
- Caruso's Natural Health – 67 complaints (no breach)
- Youi – 65 complaints (no breach)
- Big W – 37 complaints (breach – language)
- Red Rooster – 34 complaints (no breach)
- Pilot – 32 complaints (no breach)
- Rexona – 31 complaints (no breach)
- Bankwest – 27 complaints (no breach)
- Westpac – 25 complaints (no breach)
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