TG4 ad ‘demeans and insults women’

TELEVISION channel TG4 yesterday came under fire for an advertisement featuring a teacher dressed in risqué clothing.

The Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) said a poster for the cult Paisean Faisean show demeaned and insulted women. Viewers slammed the ad for featuring a woman in provocative dress and also said the poster suggested a teenager fantasising about his teacher.

Upholding the complaint, ASAI chief executive Frank Goodman said: “Advertisements should avoid sex stereotyping and any exploitation or demeaning of women.”

TG4 said the station did not intend to cause any offence, adding that the posters were for a light-hearted entertainment show.

In the ASAI’s latest complaints bulletin, bookmaker Paddypower also came under fire for a radio advertisement featuring a man apparently vomiting while playing strip poker with his grandmother.

The ASAI said the ad had been offensive towards women and featured a dubious relationship and bad behaviour.

Eircom was accused of scaring youngsters with a Christmas radio advertisement for burglar alarms.

The commercial said: “While your children dream of Santa, other visitors to your home are anything but welcome.”

Listeners then heard the sound of a window being smashed and a menacing voiceover saying: “Burglars.”

A complainant said her nine-year-old daughter was frightened by the ad, which she said had played on people’s fears.

Low fares airline Ryanair was criticised for an advertisement for flights from Dublin to Glasgow Prestwick Airport from €13.99.

A complainant said the cost did not include airport charges but Ryanair insisted it did.

The ASAI upheld the complaint after checking the airline’s website and finding that taxes and charges for the flights came to €17.29.

Airport bus firm Aircoach was criticised for ignoring the ASAI following a complaint over its claim to run a service every 15 minutes at peak time.

The complaint was triggered after a man waited 35 minutes one Saturday for a coach and missed his flight.

Eircom was also ticked off for saying that a €39.99 phone package equated to 50 cents a day for calls.