'Hubba hubba' ad complaint not accepted

Another complaint about Health Ministry advertisements for safe sex practices has not been accepted by the Advertising Standards Complaints Board.

The Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) awareness campaign features ads across a range of media, including TV and the internet.

S Dromgool complained that the campaign's website headed No Rubba, No Hubba Hubba, was "engaging in misleading advertising by saying the condoms protect substantially against STIs".

The board's chairman queried whether the claims about the efficacy of condoms did imply absolute safety, as they said condoms were: "the most effective protection".

They also referred to "safer sex" and not "safe sex".

The chairman turned to a previous decision on a complaint about the TV ad's voiceover which said: "More New Zealanders than ever before have HIV. Whoever you're having sex with, use a condom. It's your only protection".

The chairman said the Health Ministry was an expert body charged by statute with particular responsibilities.

The board had been bound by an Appeal Court judgement to "tread carefully in relation to such matters as the public education advertisements (of public authorities), to ensure that it did not substitute its views for those of an expert body charged with particular responsibilities".

The chairman said the provisions in the previous decision still applied, the ad had been prepared with a high sense of social responsibility, and therefore it did not accept S Dromgool's complaint.

- NZPA