Chief Censor backs ban on offensive Wicked Campers designs

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#1543589 28-Apr-2016 19:44

mattwnz:

Apparently it is operated from out of Australia and Ozzie owned. Do they have them on their roads in Oz?

I think they are the same over there and have been campaigns to have them removed.

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mattwnz

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#1543595 28-Apr-2016 19:53

Mspec:

mattwnz:

Apparently it is operated from out of Australia and Ozzie owned. Do they have them on their roads in Oz?

I think they are the same over there and have been campaigns to have them removed.

In that case I don't think they need to bring that sort of thing over here, it should be left in Oz.I actually think all advertising like that should be banned from vehicles, as they can be a distraction, and infact if you are a retailer, and have signage on the road and state highways, there are certain standards your signage must meet. It is ironic that it doesn't apply to vehicles on the road.

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#1543679 28-Apr-2016 22:32

A bit of a storm in a tea cup IMO. They aren't particularly funny, they aren't particularly offensive, and some of them are a bit crude and tasteless. But I do wonder about the people who seem to have nothing better to do than run round publicly taking offence at what are, essentially, nothing more than tacky schoolboy jokes.

At any rate, the real winners here are Wicked Campers themselves.

A tiny little van rental coverage that probably has next to no advertising budget has had prominent national media coverage across radio, TV and print for months now. All for the cost of a few cans of spray paint. If it wasn't for this, probably virtually no one would have heard of them.

I hope their marketing manager is getting a nice bonus.

Geektastic

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#1543680 28-Apr-2016 22:33

kiwifidget:

I dont think the ban goes far enough.

All campervans should be banned. And caravans and horse-floats. :)

But common-sense aside, the slogans are derogatory to women, but also don't show men in a particularly good light either. So I'm surprised that men aren't generally more against them.

I think men do not really see themselves as such special snowflakes...

Some words on a camper. Poor taste, probably funny to backpacker age kids who the rentals are aimed at, no more likely to cause real world issues than the Red Wedding scene in GOT is likely to result in real life wedding massacres.

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#1543681 28-Apr-2016 22:34

mattwnz:

In that case I don't think they need to bring that sort of thing over here, it should be left in Oz.I actually think all advertising like that should be banned from vehicles, as they can be a distraction, and infact if you are a retailer, and have signage on the road and state highways, there are certain standards your signage must meet. It is ironic that it doesn't apply to vehicles on the road.

Based on the fact that the ASA clamped down on some of their vans based on earlier posts in the thread, it sounds like they have been determined to be advertising and therefore within the purview of the Advertising Standards, which I personally fully agree with. Advertising as an industry is remarkably well self-policed given how badly other industries self-police (would you believe that in Australia, the Toll Roads Ombudsman is paid by the largest toll road operator?)

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#1543682 28-Apr-2016 22:41

This has just reminded me of the the van I saw driving round a local town which was sign written for a well known alcohol shop.

It had one of those sunstrips in the top of the windscreen that said...."Liquor. She'll love it!"

This was a national firm, in a sign written delivery vehicle. The sun strip was in matching font.

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#1543741 29-Apr-2016 00:29

Geektastic:

I'm still wondering if the slogans had been aimed at men, whether there would have been any complaints at all.

Offensive humour aimed at men... trying to think of an example. You mean like a prison rape joke on public radio?

Yes, there would be complaints, but nothing would be done about it.

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#1543743 29-Apr-2016 00:39

I'd like to complain about all those Tui beer ads. They portray men as hopeless pissheads who'll do anything for alcohol.

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#1543753 29-Apr-2016 06:41

Apparently the ones banned are the Snow White drug related ones, which I do not agree with.

They are neither explicit or offensive and you can see worse on TV if the argument is about drug use.

I do have to laugh when NZ reports show vans from overseas like the Herald have been doing for the most part.

@Geektastic yes we do need a censor in some instances, but they should not be swayed by popular opinion as seems to be happening currently.

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#1543803 29-Apr-2016 08:20

I'm sure most adults can cope alright with these. The more vulnerable parts of society (victims of violence) have every right to be offended. But I'm against these things going through young children's minds. Perhaps something silly is required, like ban them during daylight hours and school holidays, so I don't have to worry about my child seeing them.

The person who brought up signage laws, and making them applicable to vehicle signs seems to be on the right track.

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#1543805 29-Apr-2016 08:22

I think overall our standards as human beings drop every day. Foul language is now the norm and is used in normal discussions rather than in anger or pain. Clothing is becoming more revealing and being worn by younger girls.

I have no problem with swearing but when its used as part of normal communication it annoys me. The other thing is women that like to dress as street workers and walk around in skimpy clothes that leave nothing to the imagination.

I should be able to go shopping without seeing the ass cheeks of a young women hanging out, leave that type of clothing at home.

Back to the OP I think there is a fine line between a joke and being offensive and wicked camper crossed that line a long time ago.

You often see freight companies with funny sayings on the back of their trailers, could you imagine if they have sexual or drug related comments on them?

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#1543813 29-Apr-2016 08:30

dickytim:

Apparently the ones banned are the Snow White drug related ones, which I do not agree with.

They are neither explicit or offensive and you can see worse on TV if the argument is about drug use.

I do have to laugh when NZ reports show vans from overseas like the Herald have been doing for the most part.

@Geektastic yes we do need a censor in some instances, but they should not be swayed by popular opinion as seems to be happening currently.

I agree we need the function. I do think the title 'Chief Censor' is well out of date though: it conjures up Orwellian images of people going through books and mail with a thick black pen and stamping them "Censored!"

It is for this reason, for example, that the British Board of Film Censors changed to the British Board of Film Classification in 1984. (I'm sure the year was not coincidental!)

It seems a tad odd that you can find film of people having sex with animals on the internet but you cannot have a bad taste slogan on a camper van.

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#1543817 29-Apr-2016 08:36

Geektastic: So far I haven't been offended and have been amused.

In fact, I'm more offended we have someone called a Chief Censor in the 21st century.

We live in a live touristy mecha, people coming through daily and we see them every day, have not once been offended. Usually i have a little chuckle which i can only assume is what they want out of the designs.

Man wish we weren't so PC.

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#1543820 29-Apr-2016 08:40

BTR:

The other thing is women that like to dress as street workers and walk around in skimpy clothes that leave nothing to the imagination.

I should be able to go shopping without seeing the ass cheeks of a young women hanging out, leave that type of clothing at home.

Saudi Arabia has the answer to that.

frankv

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#1543831 29-Apr-2016 09:04

BTR:

Back to the OP I think there is a fine line between a joke and being offensive and wicked camper crossed that line a long time ago.

Wicked has set out to push the "offensive" envelope. They've ramped up the rudeness of their signage from being suggestive and humorous to offensive and vulgar.

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