Board agrees with complaints on cleavage and hairiness

An advertisement for a men's health clinic specialising in erectile problems, depicting a young woman's shoulders and cleavage, breached advertising guidelines, the Advertising Standards Complaints Board said.

The board upheld a complaint from N. Lambourn that the newspaper advertisement was offensive. The complainant said most men with sexual problems were in their 40s.

"Some men through this problem seek out young women to try and elevate [sic] the problem ... " the complainant said.

"This picture, along with the help, is suggesting that a young sexy woman may fix at least some, if not all of the men. This picture also suggests that the older you are the less likely you are to interest your husband - try someone younger."

The advertiser, the New Zealand Men's Clinic, said it always encouraged support from patients' partners "as this significantly improves success rates".

"Men with difficulties in achieving erections have more success when on treatments with their partners rather than having an affair."

The advertisement did not attempt to downplay concerns and repercussions of erectile problems, it said.

The board found the advertisement did not meet the required high standard of social responsibility. The depiction of the young woman was unnecessary, and in the light of the text, inappropriate.

In another finding, the board upheld a complaint over an advertisement depicting laser hair removal.

The newspaper advertisement demonstrated the advertiser's service by showing "before" and "after" photos.

The first - headed "Before Laser Hair Removal" - showed a man and woman embracing. The woman looked in disgust at the hairy arm and neck of her partner. Juxtaposed against the image, and headed "Years after Laser Hair Removal", was the same couple.

This time the woman looked happy and no hair was visible on her partner's arm or neck.

Complainant S. Tangle said the photos were doctored and therefore dishonest, misleading and a misrepresentation of the product.

But the advertiser, the Australian Laser Clinic, said the digitally altered images were taken several hours apart and there had been no complaints since the advertisement first appeared last year.

"The photographs represent not laser hair removal five years ago and its results today, but rather, laser hair removal today and its results five years later."

People inquiring about the service were told the images were a metaphor for what could be achieved, the clinic added.

No scientific information was included in the advertisement but claims could be backed up.

In its finding, the board said the advertisement did not misrepresent the product.

However, the headlines made distinct claims "when it was quite obvious the photographs had been taken within a short time interval".

"While the photographs could have been interpreted as being indicative only, the addition of the headlines converted them into a claim which could not be substantiated," the board said.

It therefore breached principles of advertising and the code of ethics.

The board also found the advertisement did not convey scientific information accurately because the photos had been taken consecutively within a short time frame.

- NZPA