The "You know society is stuffed when...." thread

General Gibberish Forums The nickyd News Room
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… when more people complain about an ad that uses the term “bloody caravaners”, than an ad whose tagline is “Life is short. Have an affair.”

Holden proves more offensive than adultery

Caravan brigade unites in protest over Colorado 7 campaign.
June 29 2015 - 2:19PM

Adultery, nudity, animal abuse and disability discrimination pale in the face of “bloody caravaners” in the most complained-about advertisements for 2015.

Holden’s 40-second spot for the Colorado 7 four-wheel-drive topped the controversial list. The ad features a man and his son towing a caravan on a trip through the outback.

When the pair comes across a slower vehicle towing a caravan, the driver’s ironic “bloody caravaners” remark is echoed by his progeny.
People complained that the ad showed dangerous driving and bad language.
People complained that the ad showed dangerous driving and bad language. Photo: Supplied

That exchange prompted 161 complaints to the Advertising Standards Bureau for a variety of reasons including unsafe driving and inappropriate language.

Letters to the bureau said the ad was “wrong on many levels including berating drivers who are being cautious” and that it “puts caravan owners in a poor light”.

Other complaints surrounded its “bloody caravaners” script.
A child in the commercial is shown deriding other motorists as “bloody caravaners”.
A child in the commercial is shown deriding other motorists as “bloody caravaners”. Photo: Supplied

Some objected to “offensive” language, while others thought it distasteful “to advertise using a young child in this way, swearing just to sell a car”.

Holden says the driver’s “bloody caravaners” line is not offensive as it was “delivered in a tongue-in-cheek manner as he is clearly aware that he too is a ‘caravaner’,” and that the child imitates his father “in a way that is known to most parents”.

The car maker has a bumpy history with advertising, drawing offense in 2013 for a Malibu campaign that saw a cyclist crash to the ground, and for condescending “here to stay” ads that led to calls to boycott the brand.

Other controversial Holden ads saw a farmer summon rain by performing circlework in a paddock, and a father running through a slalom of children’s toys on his driveway.

The advertising body dismissed the latest complaints against Holden, finding the car was driven in a “safe and controlled manner” and that the language used was “light-hearted and ironic” rather than aggressive or offensive.

Nevertheless, the spot received more complaints than a television commercial for controversial extramarital hook-up service Ashley Madison featuring men “looking for someone other than my wife”.

The blokes use a guitar-strumming motion to scroll through potential partners on a tablet computer in a display some views said “should not be on television at any time”.

Just 138 people wrote to the board to say they were “disgusted” by Ashley Madison’s “Life is short. Have an affair.” tag line, describing the ad variously as shocking, sleazy and distasteful.

Third place on the dias went to the Stan* entertainment streaming service that was criticised for gender discrimination, sexual vulgarity and inappropriate language for a scene that saw Australian comedian Rebel Wilson say “me and my big ■■■■■ love it”, before revealing a large pet cat in her lap.

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All my childhood I was forced to be a catholic. Whenever I questioned the dogma, I was told it is a matter of faith.

Now this post fell over because Bomberman 007, called me a sinner. I could have abused him back, but I politely suggested that he can have his opinion, but mine is that this Jesus dude is fiction.

I don’t give a fark about this faith thing, and I dont care if anyone believes in this Jesus stuff, but maybe someone can explain to me why it is OK to. Have this religious faith, but not OK to think it is a crock.

It is perfectly fine for you to think it is a load of crock. Not sure anyone has said it isn’t? What people eventually decide is their decision, no one can or should take that away from them.

My only point is, once a person has made that decision then they have no reason to complain at any consequence that comes from that decision. So if I am wrong in what I believe and there are any consequences for that then I have no reason to complain it is unfair, I made my decision, I need to own the consequence. Same goes for you or FS or anyone else. If what I believe is correct then you guys have no reason to complain that hell is unfair or unjust, you made your decision with eyes wide open (again predicated on whether or not what I believe is true and that hell is a consequence of your decision, not because I want you to go there, which I do not).

As for BM calling you a sinner, how is that wrong? Under his belief system you are a sinner therefore he is right in saying that and he says it not to call you names but to warn of what will happen if you continue on that path. It shouldn’t bother you because you don’t agree with his belief system so it has no impact on you (other than maybe annoy you). I know you think I am an idiot for what I believe but that doesn’t particularly bother me because I do not agree with what you believe so I am justified in my belief not by what you think of me. The same should be for you.

I think my head hurts after all that! lol Too early in the morning.

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Oh, and another one.

… when the majority of people who preach tolerance and free-speech aren’t tolerant of any viewpoint except their own, and mock and cruficy anyone who has an opposing viewpoint.

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… the AFL.

/thread

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Thought this thread would be about animal cruelty, terrorists and pedophiles.

Oh well.
I don’t have a problem with either ad.
I can understand that some people might not like the idea of their kid mimicking the ‘■■■■■■ caravaners’ line.
Personally I would have thought it hilarious if my kid did it.
And old caravaners having a sook isn’t exactly surprising.

As for the Ashley Madison ad…meh. It’s on very late at night.
That repeated line is annoying, I’ll grant you that.

I think society has far bigger problems, like the fact the Herald Sun is available for absolutely anyone to read.

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When criticism is labelled as persecution.

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More people would have seen the Holden ad, therefore more chance to complain.

I only saw the Ashley Madison ad for the first time on the weekend, in Land of the Dead. Seemed appropriate.

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You know society is stuffed when anything and everything Kim Kardashian does is considered remotely newsworthy

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The ad I thought was a bit ■■■■ was these 2 women working in an office and the either eat or drink something that makes them want to do something ‘naughty’. Then one of them flashes her bra and pushes herself up against the window of her office some guy walking past.

I only just finished a work training even in harassment, and is assume that would be a pretty cut and dried case, more so if it was a bloke doing the flashing.

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Thought this thread would be about animal cruelty, terrorists and pedophiles.

Oh well.
I don’t have a problem with either ad.
I can understand that some people might not like the idea of their kid mimicking the ‘■■■■■■ caravaners’ line.
Personally I would have thought it hilarious if my kid did it.
And old caravaners having a sook isn’t exactly surprising.

As for the Ashley Madison ad…meh. It’s on very late at night.
That repeated line is annoying, I’ll grant you that.

I think society has far bigger problems, like the fact the Herald Sun is available for absolutely anyone to read.

So you find cheating behavior acceptable. Wow.

Is there anything that is abhorrent? In your eyes.

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Thought this thread would be about animal cruelty, terrorists and pedophiles.

Oh well.
I don’t have a problem with either ad.
I can understand that some people might not like the idea of their kid mimicking the ‘■■■■■■ caravaners’ line.
Personally I would have thought it hilarious if my kid did it.
And old caravaners having a sook isn’t exactly surprising.

As for the Ashley Madison ad…meh. It’s on very late at night.
That repeated line is annoying, I’ll grant you that.

I think society has far bigger problems, like the fact the Herald Sun is available for absolutely anyone to read.

So you find cheating behavior acceptable. Wow.

Is there anything that is abhorrent? In your eyes.

I’m pretty sure he meant less people complained because less people have seen it as its only on late at night?

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Thought this thread would be about animal cruelty, terrorists and pedophiles.

Oh well.
I don’t have a problem with either ad.
I can understand that some people might not like the idea of their kid mimicking the ‘■■■■■■ caravaners’ line.
Personally I would have thought it hilarious if my kid did it.
And old caravaners having a sook isn’t exactly surprising.

As for the Ashley Madison ad…meh. It’s on very late at night.
That repeated line is annoying, I’ll grant you that.

I think society has far bigger problems, like the fact the Herald Sun is available for absolutely anyone to read.

So you find cheating behavior acceptable. Wow.

Is there anything that is abhorrent? In your eyes.

Well, for a start, you’re assuming it’s cheating.
I don’t hate it. Don’t love it.
They’re certainly more tasteful than the old 0055 or whatever they are now…1902 ads.
Is AM ‘worse’ than a dive bar or a brothel?
Not sure.

And I think I answered this, but I find pedophilia, cruelty to animals, terrorism (and I’ll define that as violent acts on civilians for a cause, however vague) abhorrent.
I don’t find the way media outlets like the Herald Sun present fiction as reality and inspire anger over stupid things, fostering a feeling of hatred and self-righteousness in impressionable people, abhorrent. As such.
But I probably should.

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Pretty sure there is a female version as well. A bit dodgy but meh…

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Ashley Madison is the female version, bg.

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Didn’t the hotels combined ad get changed as well because of complaints, saying it was glorifying mental issues?

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I’d think society is in a pretty good place when your list of concerns and complaints includes a friggin TV commercial.

People used to complain about being eaten by wolves, or about hordes of previously unknown nomadic warriors riding over the hill and killing everybody in sight.

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I find it odd to suggest that gauging reaction complaints about ads on tv is some sort indication of societies moral compass.

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Didn't the hotels combined ad get changed as well because of complaints, saying it was glorifying mental issues?

Wait… Huh? That’s a thing?

I suppose, we don’t want children experimenting with mental issues because they saw somebody on TV doing it.

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Ashley Madison is the female version, bg.

Nah, there’s a version for women who want to root others, not the hubby.

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you know society is stuffed when people whinge about inane articles about inane complaints about inane advertisements.

or maybe none of that says anything about society at all and some people like try and whinge their point across.

The point about people resorting to mockery of people who have different perspectives on the world is a good one though. Damn those people. Seriously, anyone who can’t handle a different viewpoint to their own. Damn em to hell.