The Advertising Standard Bureau (ASB) has dismissed a complaint made against an Isuzu MU-X TV ad which allegedly "undermines the profile of women as bosses".
"It's pitched to men, to grumble about female bosses and is derogatory to women," stated the complainant.
"It also effectively excludes women from buying a car. It makes it seem that the Isuzu MUX would only be for a male buyer, which is insulting to women," the complainant wrote.
The ASB considered the objection against the Isuzu ad but eventually dismissed it, contending: "…the boss referred to in the advertisement is female but considered that her behaviour is not gender-specific and in the Board's view the boss could have been male or female and the message would have been the same with regards to escaping from work.”
According to the ASB, the complaint is invalid because "…the reference to a 'nasty boss' is in the context of the position of power this person holds and abuses and is not in the context of their gender therefore the advertisement does not humiliate the woman or incite hatred, contempt or ridicule on account of the gender of the boss.”
The ASB also noted: "…the employee shown driving away is also female, and not male as the complainant suggested, and considered that a depiction of a female employee happy to leave her female boss behind whilst she drives off is not derogatory to women and in the Board's view the advertisement appears to be targeting female buyers rather than excluding them."