Spanking ads 'in bad taste'

2005-03-08 12:07

Pietermaritzburg - The Law Society of South Africa has objected to a Young Designers Emporium campaign in which a woman is seen being "spanked and bruised".

The campaign, Brand Spanking New Fashion, is being run at YDE's stores and on their website.

The society's gender and equality committee said the advert is in bad taste and cannot be tolerated in a country where the legislature and other concerned stakeholders are making efforts to root out all forms of women and child abuse, said spokesperson Nonto Umlaw.

Society chairperson Thoba Poyo said: "Advertising is a very powerful medium and the messages emanating from advertisers are meant to change perceptions".

YDE creative director Sam Coleman said this was not an advert but a campaign on their shop windows and on their website and is directed at customers.

"It wasn't the intention that the campaign be taken seriously, we don't take our advertising too seriously," he said.

He said there are no bruises in the pictures, just a slight redness. He said that instead of referring to "new season clothing", they used "Brand Spanking New Fashion" in which they show males and females being spanked.

"We show a man and woman being spanked. It is quite surprising that no one said anything about the man being spanked," he said.

Coleman emphasised that they were not depicting a violent act. The campaign started a few weeks ago and "isolated complaints" were received. It was even discussed on a Cape Town-based radio station.

"If we receive an absolute barrage of complaints we will stop the campaign," he said.

"Our largest target group is women. Why would we want to offend our customers?" asked Coleman.

On the net:

www.yde.co.za

- The Witness