Loaf of Aldi bread found not guilty of bullying man
The Australian Advertising Standards Board (ASB) has dismissed a complaint that accused Aldi of condoning bullying through the actions of an animated loaf of bread.
The television ad in question depicts a man with a sun-burned face being told by a loaf of bread to put some sunscreen on. The bread says the man is “pink as a little lamb cutlet” and refers to him as a “shiny, shiny lobster face”.
A sample of the complaints published by the ASB included a submission which said “Where there is such emphasis on bullying in society I find the final comment “shiny, shiny lobster face” made to the man is condoning bullying and is not something that should be promoted”.
Aldi stands by ad
Aldi responded to the complaint saying it did not believe the ad breached the Advertising Code of Ethics.
“No reasonable viewer would understand the advertisement as depicting or condoning bullying, or depicting material that is in any other way contrary to prevailing community standards with respect to health and safety,” Aldi said in its submission to the ASB.
Aldi’s submission continued on to say it was clear from the context of the ad that the man is not being bullied, rather the phrase “shiny, shiny lobster face” was just a reference to the man’s sunburnt skin that he could have avoided this if he used sunscreen.
ASB’s decision
The ASB said the comments made about the man are only due to his sunburn, a temporary condition that the man himself could have been avoided by wearing sunscreen.
“The Board considered that the advertisement is humorous and light-hearted and in the Board’s view the unrealistic, fantasy situation would not be seen as bullying rather than humorous,” the ASB said.
The Board ruled that the ad did not breach Section 2.6 of the Code which states “Advertising or Marketing Communications shall not depict material contrary to Prevailing Community Standards on health and safety”.
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