‘There was no intention to offend or promote any sexually inappropriate behaviour’ – Advertising Regulatory Board rules ad not offensive.
SOUTH African rugby player Faf de Klerk is well-known for posing in his swimming costume with the South African flag print.
So it comes as a surprise that folk would take offence to see this image.
A week ago the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) received two complaints about a Budget Insurance advert, saying that the image of the bare-chested rugby player wearing his famous Speedo was in poor taste.
The ARB, in its ruling against the complaints, said: “For the sake of context, Faf de Klerk gained notoriety in 2019 after South Africa’s Rugby World Cup victory, and this advertising merely sought to leverage that light-hearted memory. There was no intention to offend or promote any sexually inappropriate behaviour.”
According to the ARB, adverts must not offend against good taste, decency, or sectoral values unless it is reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society. In addition, they noted that advertising should not cause serious, widespread or sectoral offences.
It also said: “The fact that a particular product, service or advertisement may be offensive to some is not in itself sufficient grounds for upholding an objection.
“As pointed out by the advertiser, Faf de Klerk gained notoriety in 2019 when he met the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, after the South African team won the 2019 Rugby World Cup. At the time, (he) was wearing a similar pair of underwear bearing the South African flag,” said the ARB.
“Given the lack of any gratuitous or graphic content, and given the relevance of the image in a rugby context, the directorate is inclined to agree that the average, reasonable person would not find the image offensive in a manner that the code seeks to prevent.”