A Carlton & United advertising campaign has been banned for discriminating against redheads.
The campaign included television and internet promotions for rare ‘Yak Ale’ products that had been packaged in a ginger wrapper. Viewers were urged viewers to “stop the gene spreading” by finding the rare “ginger” bottle designs “hiding” within six packs of beer, with the chance to trade them for $500 cash prizes.
Complainants to the Advertising Standards Bureau about the promotion said the term “ginger gene” was offensive and the advertisement discriminated against people with red hair.
One complainant said it was “very disturbing for my red haired son to have to view this” as he had been seriously affected by bullying at school about his red hair, and the reference to eliminating “ginger” genetics was inappropriate.
Another submission claimed the online advertisement breached Section 2.1 of the advertising code of ethics, which refers to discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual preference and other personal characterisitics. The campaign was accused of breaching Section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
In response to the complaints, CUB said the red hair characteristic does not fall within the definition of race, and if even it did, the ads were not intended to vilify red-haired people.
“The advertisements simply seek to associate the launch of the Rusty Yak Ginger Ale product with red heads in our community in an affectionate, light-hearted and humorous way by linking the hair colour with the ‘crisp and zingy Rusty Yak gingery flavour’ as stated in the advertisements,” CUB said in the statement.
In considering the complaint, the Ad Standards Community Panel said red hair should be included within the ‘race’ definition, as Section 2.1 of the code defines race as including “colour, descent or ancestry, ethnicity, nationality…”.
“DNA can be considered to be related to ancestry and descent and therefore considered that in this context the reference to people with red hair falls within the definition of race and can be considered under Section 2.1 of the Code,” the panel said in its decision.
By including red hair within the definition of race, the panel ultimately determined the advertisement did cross the line by using the phrase “stop the spread of the gene” when referring to “ginger” products.
“The majority of the panel considered the suggestion that the genetic trait needed to be stopped was a negative one, and considered that the most reasonable interpretation of this line was that having red hair was undesirable,” the panel said.
“The majority of the panel considered that the inclusion of this line in the advertisement was vilifying of people with red hair as it was likely to incite ridicule of people with red hair.”
CUB said it disagreed with the finding but pulled the advertisements from circulation.
Watch the Youtube version of the ad below and make up your own mind:
