Confused.com has dismissed a growing clamour of complaints that its latest TV commercial shows a couple “dogging” by claiming the woman in the ad is simply tying her shoelace.
The Advertising Standards Authority has confirmed that it has already received more than 20 complaints, while viewers have taken to social media sites to air their disgust, with one asking: “Why bring dogging or oral sex into an insurance advert?”
The ad by Publicis first aired last week and shows the company’s mascot “Brian the Robot” interrupting a man parked in a car in a remote spot. As he knocks on the window, a woman’s head pops up – and the couple turn to the camera looking flustered.
A Confused.com spokeswoman insisted there is nothing sexual about the TV slot, adding: “The woman is startled as she had been tying her shoelace and didn’t see Brian approach the car.
“The advert itself was approved by Clearcast and we have been inundated with positive comments.”
But one person tweeted: “Why have Confused.com made an advert where two people are clearly dogging?” Meanwhile on YouTube another viewer wrote: “How did that make it on TV? If the big bouncing boob cartoons weren’t enough? We all know what its hinting towards.” However another wrote: “Does anyone else find this the cutest thing ever?”
An ASA spokesman said: “The general nature of the complaints is that the ad is offensive and distasteful because it is suggestive of sexual activity, is degrading to women and inappropriate for children to see.”
