Press Release - 6 May 2010

Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) have today submitted a formal complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), about Largo Foods, owners of Hunky Dory and Tayto Crisps, demanding the immediate removal of the offending posters.

Fiona Neary, RCNI Director said, ‘these posters are sending messages out that may condone and may even have the effect of encouraging unsafe actions. The RCNI have grave reservations about a call to action to ‘tackle this’ against the backdrop of a scantily clad woman who is already having her skimpy pants ripped off her. These posters add to attitudes and behaviours that make Ireland a place where the casual and everyday sexual assault of women is permitted and unchallenged.

It is wholly unacceptable that a corporation should not only condone these harmful attitudes but indeed use them as leverage to promote a product.’

Largo Foods, owners of Hunky Dory and Tayto Crisps, have acted in a deeply irresponsible and we believe cynical manner. As a first step these posters need to be withdrawn immediately.

In the RCNI view the posters are in breach of at least 7 of the Standards in the ASAI codes. (Please see below for a copy of the formal RCNI complaint to the ASAI).

The RCNI look forward to a speedy investigation from the ASAI and prompt if belated action from Largo Foods.

For information please contact

Clíona Saidléar on 087 2196447

See also RCNI opinion piece ‘Why Mr. Tayto Wears a Mac’

Rape Crisis Network Ireland would like to formally complain in the strongest manner about the poster campaign which Largo Foods launched on 26th of April promoting their product the crisp Hunky Dory.

This campaign is promoting a snack food enjoyed by all ages, children and adults, in locations that target the general public in a highly visible and impactful manner. The images are of women only, the call to actions are provocative and objectionable.

This advertisement is offensive, cynical, and unhelpful in terms of building a society that is free from sexual abuse and violence. We feel this campaign is in breach of a number of the standards laid down by the ASAI.

1. ASAI Code 2.5: A marketing communication should not bring advertising into disrepute.

In breach of 2.5 we feel this campaign brings advertising into disrepute as we concur with much of the commentary which concluded that this campaign set out to provoke offended responses in order to gain free publicity, Given we believe its offending is in breach of the ASAI codes this would then also be a deliberate attempt to gain your disapproval, thus garnering further publicity.

2. ASAI Code 2.15 A marketing communication should contain nothing that is likely to cause grave or widespread offence.

ASAI Code 2.17 Marketing communications should respect the principle of the equality of men and women. They should avoid sex stereotyping and any exploitation or demeaning of men and women [relevant extract]

ASAI Code 2.19 Advertisers should take account of public sensitivities in the preparation and publication of marketing communications and avoid the exploitation of sexuality and the use of coarseness and undesirable innuendo. They should not use offensive or provocative copy or images merely to attract attention.

In breach of 2.15, 2.17 and 2.19 we believe this advert set out to cause widespread offence through the exploitation of sexuality and provocative innuendo which is belittling and damaging to sportswomen and women in general. We believe the messaging reinforces a set of attitudes and beliefs that continue to damage all women’s safety in our society.

3. ASAI Code 2.29 A marketing communication should not encourage or condone dangerous behaviour or unsafe practices except in the context of promoting safety.

ASAI Code 2.30 A marketing communication should contain nothing that condones or is likely to provoke violence or antisocial behaviour, nuisance, personal injury or damage to property.

In breach of 2.29 and 2.30 the RCNI believe some of the calls to action attached to the images in this campaign can be seen to positively endorse potentially unsafe action.

These posters are sexy under current aesthetic definitions of same, the RCNI do not take issue with this aspect. That notwithstanding, the images feature only women and must be assessed in that light. The calls to action are objectionable on a number of grounds:

A. It is of grave concern to the RCNI what is meant and what will be understood and acted upon by the audience when they are told to ‘tackle this’ attached to an image of a minimally clad woman who is already having her underwear pulled off her by another woman. This message not only condones but indeed risks valorising an aggressive approach to sexual gratification.

B. Another poster in the campaign simply states ‘mine’ again accompanied by the image of scantily clad and attractive women. In the use of the words ‘mine’ and ‘this’ the adverts categorise women and their sexuality as both objects and as things to be owned/possessed.

A consideration of consent, negotiated consent, respect for a woman’s bodily integrity and a woman’s right to go unmolested and without the threat or fear of molestation are absent from these messages. It is the RCNI’s concern that these messages in fact work against such considerations and we therefore deem these calls to action, unsafe.

4. ASAI Code 5.5 Marketing communications should contain nothing that is likely to result in physical, mental or moral harm to children or that is likely to frighten or disturb them, except to promote safety or in the public interest.

(g) Given that children may imitate what they see in marketing communications, they should not be encouraged to copy any practice that might be unsafe.

For similar reasons as laid out in item 3, we would consider the advertisements to be in breach of ASAI Code 5.5 (g). In addition crisps are often a children’s food and the location of the advertising means that they are freely accessible to children. The messaging, which we believe is inappropriate in and of itself, is even more inappropriate when one considers a child audience.

The RCNI request the ASAI secretariat demands the immediate withdrawal of the offending adverts pending the full investigation by ASAI.
Fiona Neary
Rape Crisis Network Ireland Executive Director