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The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has instructed a TV advert depicting angels falling from heaven because they are attracted to a man's deodorant, to be withdrawn, as it could offend Christians.
A viewer who complained to the ASA about the advert said the suggestion that angels Ä God's messengers Ä would literally fall for a man wearing this deodorant was incompatible with his belief as a Christian, according to the ruling by the ASA's directorate made on October 14. A copy of the ruling was sent to Sapa.
The advert for Axe deodorant depicts winged, attractive women crashing to earth in what appears to be an Italian town, and then being drawn towards and sniffing a young man who has used the deodorant. The text at the end of the ad reads: “Even angels will fall”.
The directorate was concerned that the angels were depicted falling and, secondly, being attracted to a mortal man.
“As such, the problem is not so much that angels are used in the commercial, but rather that the angels are seen to forfeit, or perhaps forego their heavenly status for mortal desires. This is something that would likely offend Christians in the same manner as it offended the complainant.”
While the directorate was mindful of the hyperbole employed in the advert, it was not convinced that this was sufficient to negate the offence experienced by the viewer.
The respondent in the matter, Unilever SA, was ordered to withdraw the commercial in its current format. - Sapa
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Anonymous, wrote
I'm a polytheist who believe in over 70 gods and I'm sure the complainant is impersonating one of my revered gods who regularly find fault with my other gods godly angels. According to my faith, he must be put to death by means of stoning of only rounded beach pebbles. My constitutional right is enforceable and I demand it be done after an expensive investigation. You cannot disprove me!
No God, wrote
I'm highly offended by many of the truly evil "teachings" that appear in the bible! Where should I make my complaint?
The Gecko, wrote
@Zandi - I do read the Bible, and I do understand reverence. I also understand idolatry. I "revere" God and only God, not angels, mother Mary, or the so-called saints. I also believe that God has a sense of humor, and would be able to understand and appreciate hyperbole. Perhaps you are the one who should go back and read the story about angles who were so impressed with the beauty of earthly women, that they come down to earth and had sex with them, resulting in the birth of the giants of the old testament... Or is that offensive and irreverent too, even though it is in the Bible? (Granted, the women weren't wearing some special perfume... or perhaps they were? Who knows?)
WayneDV, wrote
@Dee : You've hit the nail on the head. People need to realise that *everyone* has the right to be offended! Be offended as much as you like by what so ever you choose. No-on, however, has the right to *not* be offended.
Anonymous, wrote
But doesn't Axe have another ad with goddesses? Surely that should then offend people whose religions have more than one god? As a christian, this ad doesn't offend me at all. There are bigger issues to be concerned about.
Roger, wrote
@ Zandi "maybe if the adv fully stipulated which type of angels they were referring to, we as Christians would not complain. " ??? Like a whole preamble - 'Viewers, Angel A is a type X mark 2 lesser angel while Angel B is the new improved type Z' ?? Or how about 'Viewers, these are hot angels not to be confused his mainstream angels who are dead set against the claims of this advert, if they had their way applying this product you render you unattractive and unlikely to have any fun'... Now we return to the advert.
Anonymous, wrote
@zandi wrote 11:08...really? come now, i'm sure you're not THAT naive and gullible. it's extreemists like you who make all religious people look like hypocrites. unless those angles are fornicating, murdering or stealing...there is absolutelly nothing wrong with this advert, gosh....people can get so stale somethimes!
Natalie, wrote
@ Zandi - advertisers only have a limited amount of time to get their message across and I'm sure they would rather use that time to advertise their product and what it supposedly does, than have an in depth analysis of which heavenly beings they are actually referring to. On another point, who do you think you are telling other people off about not reading their Bibles properly? You do realise that the Bible is open to interpretation and that someone can read the Bible every day for the rest of their life and still be undecided on certain things. It's people like you that make me dislike religion.
zandi, wrote
I m so glad it has been withdrawn, the adv is so offensive to me as a Christian I don’t blame those who are non Christians for being appalled by the decision taken by the ASA, maybe it’s a lack of understanding, fully comprehending the meaning of angels and heavenly beings ,maybe if the adv fully stipulated which type of angels they were referring to, we as Christians would not complain. We have the primary main know angels which are heavenly beings, if we say you look like an angel everyone knows that we are referring to heavenly beings which are pure clothed in a white garment ,innocent ,righteous.@ The Gecko .I m finding it difficulty to believe that you are a Christian maybe you need to read the bible more and understand the meaning of reverence
Anonymous, wrote
Almost all religions have reference to angels, so why is this ad only offending Christians.
Ron Beck, wrote
If you could prove that god exists along with his angels, then you could prove that this add is offensive. Because you can't prove the existence of god or his angels it is not possible to prove that the advert is offensive. There is no factual basis that could be tested in court of law or any other forum to support the existence of god. What the ASA has done is make a ruling based upon the acceptance of belief as a valid criteria for banning an advert. The problem here is that it opens the door for any person with any particular belief (like the tooth fairy or that the world is flat) saying, this advert offends what I believe in it must be banned, without that person having to provide any factual basis for their belief. It is a flaw in logic that has led to the banning of this advert, because you can make this kind of judgement based upon superstition.
king, wrote
Dudesky, wrote
@kenny, I doubt they'd make that ad for muslims, cause our angels would be covered from head to toe, wit only their eyes showing :D. The AD was clever, pulling it, only gets more ppl talking & watching it on you tube.
5AssedMonkey, wrote
I don't see how this is offensive. The bible often references angels falling to earth. What's offensive is that Unilever just rolls over and doesn't challenge the attack from this religious nut.
Roger, wrote
The ASA should ban all advertising for Christianity! They are exploiting gullible & vulnerable sectors of society promoting a non-existent product backed up by wild unsubstantiated claims. The promotion of Christianity deeply offends the sane & rational and should be banned with immediate effect.
Dee, wrote
The problem here is that people seem to think that they have some kind of god given right to never be exposed to anything that they consider "offensive"...Ever. I find stupid complaining (inert whatever religious cult is complaining this time)'s offensive, but I don't go running to have them forcibly removed.
Anton, wrote
Lanzo, wrote
ag some idiots will look mfor any poor excuse to be heard .... get a life and i would suggest that the (asa) use some axe so that angels may fall for yourl!!! mxm
The Gecko, wrote
Oh really, I have yet to find the passage in my Bible where it forbids having a sense of humor... Grow up, people - its just an add! I'm a Christian, but narrow-mindedness offends me far more than this stupid add, because it creates the impression that all Christians are this narrow-minded, and thus reflects negatively on me...
ps, wrote
I thought the church stopped interfering with SA society when the Nats were finally kicked out of government. Clearly not. Catholicism is incompatible with my beliefs as a Christian. Lets ban that, too.
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