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Close Topic OptionsThat Bloody Ad: Where Do We Draw The Line?
That Bloody Ad Draw Line - Sciences, Education, Art, Writing, UFO - Posted: 27th Mar, 2006 - 8:37am
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That Bloody Ad: Where Do We Draw The Line?
Where do we draw the "bloody" line with advertising?
An Australian tourism advertising campaign has drawn scorn from a Christian lobby group in the US because it uses the tag-line "where the bloody hell are you?" in television ads.
The American Family Association has complained and threatens to boycott Australia as a holiday destination.
The word "bloody" is Aussie slang commonly used as an intensive. Eg. You better be bloody sure about that. BLoody hell, you have got to be kidding mate.
I am shocked and dumbfounded how anyone in an english speaking country can be offended by the use of the term.
Where should the line be drawn on this ad. Do people from the US believe it should be banned, or taken in the spirit it was intended?
Please read the below article from the Sydney Morning Herald.
| QUOTE |
| A major conservative American lobby group is set to unleash a campaign of protest against Australian tourism's "where the bloody hell are you?" TV advertisement. The controversial commercial has made its US debut in front of 20 million American TV viewers and one influential group was not amused. The American Family Association (AFA), which has more than two million members and leads campaigns against abortion and gay rights, was upset with the bikini-clad model Lara Bingle's use of "bloody" and "hell" in the ad's tagline. AFA members are expected to bombard Tourism Australia with thousands of emails and phone calls in coming weeks to vent their feelings. Members are also expected to boycott Australia as a holiday destination. "I just feel pretty sure the typical American family who is watching TV with their children and they're exposed to this ad are going to be upset," AFA director of special projects, Randy Sharp, said. "I don't want my children to hear that phrase. "It's a shocking phrase because we're not familiar with it. "I guess they use it all the time in Australia, but it's a foreign language here so I think it'll have a negative impact rather than positive." Tourism Australia launched the ad in the US with a 30-second spot during the hit TV series Lost, which draws around 20 million American viewers each week. Sharp said he enjoyed the Tourism Australia ad until the end when Bingle asks "where the bloody hell are you?" "When you think 'bloody' in America you think the red liquid that flows from human bodies which is usually a sign of some kind of violence," Sharp said. Tourism Australia contact details will be made available to AFA members. "They will hear from a lot of our members who are going to be insulted," Sharp said. "Australians are spending all of these millions of dollars inviting us, and if we go over there are we going to be exposing our kids to foul language and images of bloody? "We don't want our kids to hear the term 'bloody'. "We certainly don't want our kids to hear profanity." |
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I can't speak for the US, but here in the UK, the people would find this offensive here too.
The word 'bloody' is classed as swearing, so therefore any advert that was brought out trying to contain this term, would have an instant ban on it.
Obviously, Australia uses this term in a different context, so the citizens of Australia would have to decide for themselves whether adverts containing this phrase should be allowed, but here in the UK, it would be a definite 'no'.
That Bloody Ad: Where Do We Draw The Line? UFO & Writing Art Education Sciences
| QUOTE |
| I am shocked and dumbfounded how anyone in an english speaking country can be offended by the use of the term. |
Why are you so shocked? Is it because the word is not a big deal in Australia? I mean, just because a word is used commonly in one English speaking country doesn't mean that ALL English speaking countries should be ok with it. I would not want that word used on US television either, especially in a commercial. I know words are used very loosely in movies and television shows, but those have ratings that we can use to gauge what our children can watch. Commercials are generally G-rated, at least here in the US. I don't see a problem with the AFA being against the use of the word in a commercial.
Line Draw We Where Ad Bloody That
Well I've seen US and British ads that use sex and violence in a far more brazen way. Is this not offensive?
To be honest I think it is a stupid advertising campaign and I too share the same concern's as to how it might be interpreted or translated in other coutnries.
My opposition with its censorship is more based on the overall standards of advertising, not on the ad itself. Is using sex and denigrating a woman's body as an object less offensive than a cheeky tagline in an ad? Far worse words are used in almost every rap song that comes out these days.
As for UK standards of swearing. I don't mean any offence, but I hear British people swear more than just about anyone else, it's almost a part of their vernacular. And there are a lot of our British mates living in Australia. I'm a bit surprised they would find the use of the word bloody offensive. 
Edited: arvhic on 27th Mar, 2006 - 8:37am
TOPIC: That Bloody Ad: Where Do We Draw The Line?