A group of red-headed New Zealand men have succeeded in their official complaints about a television commercial they said reinforced negative stereotypes, making life difficult for people with their hair colour.
The Advertising Standards Complaints Board upheld complaints about the commercial for a brand of rum called Coruba Ginja, saying it had "indeed caused serious offence to red-headed males in particular".
The board's ruling said the advertisement showed a woman teacher enthusing about "Ginja", saying that "she likes it very much, that it is really different, popular with the ladies, and that she has a real thing for Ginja.
"The student inadvertently thinks that she is making complimentary comments about him (he has ginger hair). In his exuberance he romantically lunges towards his teacher. She reacts with shock and disdain, saying, 'Get your pale freckled hands off me!'" the board said.
Although an unspecified number of red-haired men complained, the board quoted only a 21-year-old man identified as C Irwin, who said the commercial "is mocking people like myself in a nasty fashion".
He said, "The advertisement will add to the atmosphere of denigration that currently exists in New Zealand towards red-headed males and I am sick of dealing with the repercussions of such ill-thought out humour."
Advertising agency Colenso BBDO, which made the ad for The Rum Company, said its client, "who is himself ginger-haired" approved the concept and thought the commercial was "funny and not derogatory or offensive".
But the board said the "humorous, hyperbolic, intent" did not save the commercial from being offensive, not only because of the words but "also the fact that the young male student had 'groped' the teacher in a sexual manner".
The commercial is no longer running.
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