The UK Paddy-Bingo ad showing a man sitting with his exposed tit with a small baby in his arms has been banned by the British tube and the Dublin bus service as "it has the potential to disturb public decency".
I think that the company has got more than what it had invested in this ad. Blogs are writing about it, newspaper carry the ad on their front pages as news, it seems like an advertiser's dream. In a few days, as the ripples of the ad will spread, more and more persons all around the world will know about the ad.
On first reflections, the ad may seem offensive. For example, it does seem to say that women are gamblers, they prefer gambling to taking care of their children. However, if you just look around you, the ad seems laughable, it is not the reality. In families with small children, it is men who go out more. An evening out, with friends at the pub or at the stadium or evening gambling, is more a male thing. Women can go out if they get a baby sitter, but the whole society has such a strong message about "good moms" that most women would feel guilty about leaving their children, especially young babies alone at home, not just for gambling but even for work.
I agree with Oliviero Toscani, the ad designer for Benetton that advertising has a social role. Toscani by using shocking pictures, creates controversies, attracts attention towards the brand he is advertising but at the same time, makes us reflect about issues. In the same way, I feel that this British ad is good as it makes us reflect on issues.
For example, I was thinking if men could breast feed, would the world be safer? Would there be less wars and fights?
Or if we could turn the ad and had a woman with a dildo in her hands and the ad had asked, "where have all the men gone?", would we be offended?
