MUMBAI: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) on Saturday wrote to social media platforms -Twitter and YouTube to remove two recent controversial advertisements from deo brand Layer'r Shot for their alleged obscene content. The move came after several netizens flagged the offending video commercials, accusing them of ‘promoting rape culture’ and trivialising sexual violence against women, and of being plain ‘creepy’.
The advertising self-regulatory body, ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) also suspended the ads after finding it to be in “serious breach of its code and against the public interest”.
The ministry wrote to social media platforms - Twitter and YouTube to remove the offending video commercials of the deo brand for their alleged obscene content. The move came after ASCI found the ads violative of its advertisement codes.
“An inappropriate & derogatory advertisement of deodorant is circulating on social media. The I&B ministry has asked Twitter & YouTube to immediately pull down all instances of this ad. The TV channel on which it appeared has already pulled it down on directions of the ministry,” the ministry tweeted.
An inappropriate & derogatory advertisement of a deodorant is circulating on social media.
I & B Ministry has asked Twitter & YouTube to immediately pull down all instances of this ad.
The TV channel on which it appeared has already pulled it down on directions of the Ministry. pic.twitter.com/u3bE03X1xH
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) June 4, 2022
The ministry said the ads violate Rule 3(1)(b)(ii) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021.
The emails called the attention of the social media platforms to “certain videos which appear to be an advertisement of a company, and are being posted by several users on the intermediary platform Twitter” and the “video titled “Layerr shot Mall 15 Opt2 Hindi Sub HD” published” on 3 June.
Following the ministry’s action, the channel Sony Ten 1 that originally aired the ad during a sports telecast has pulled it down.
Coming right on the back of the ASCI updating its code to prevent new areas of possible discrimination or derision, the council was alerted to the offending ad for the deodorant product, on the morning of 3 June 2022, ASCI's CEO Manisha Kapoor told Indiantelevision.com. After seeing the ad, which was in serious violation of Chapter II of the ASCI Code against offensive advertising, ASCI immediately invoked a special process called “Suspended Pending Investigation” (SPI).
The body also wrote to the advertiser on the same day, informing them of the decision to suspend the advertising, and invited the advertiser’s response which would be tabled before the Consumer Complaints Council in the coming days, Kapoor further added.
One of the offending ads features a couple getting intimate in a bedroom when four of the guy's friends barge into the room. They sneeringly ask the guy a seemingly loaded, crude question. After a few moments of suspense, wherein the girl is seen visibly getting alarmed at what the guys’ true intentions are, the ad reveals that the friends were just asking if they can use the Shot deo kept in the room!
Layerr Shot deo ad #1:
Can't find the ad online but here it is, apparently being played during the match. I didn't see it till @hitchwriter showed it to me
Who are the people making these ads really? pic.twitter.com/zhXEaMqR3Q
— Permanently Exhausted Pigeon (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022
The second ad plays out along similar lines, where the four men are showcased indulging in an animated conversation at a supermarket. A woman is shown in the forefront, while they discuss who will take the "shot" since there are four of them and just one of “it”. Again, the ad plays on the fear factor of the woman, as she looks back in alarm at the four men, only to find that they are talking about the single bottle of the Shot deo left in the store, while she thinks they are talking about her.
Layerr Shot deo ad #2 :
How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts? Second ad with such disgusting content from Shot.@monikamanchanda pic.twitter.com/hMEaJZcdmR
— Rishita (@RishitaPrusty_) June 3, 2022
Several users on Twitter called out the brand for being plain creepy and suggestive of sexual violence against women.
"How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts?" wrote one user.
"Whoever ideated, wrote, produced, acted in and approved the new Layer'r Shot ads, shame on each one of you," wrote another netizen.
"@layerr_shot pull these ads. They perpetuate rape culture. Sony Liv pls stop broadcasting these #Layershot ads," another Twitter user said.
Another user wrote, "There have to be some regulations for ads man. That Shot deo ad is nothing short of disgusting. Even though I knew it was an ad and it wouldn't happen. The fear for a second I felt was real. Imagine making an ad on the fears of millions of women,"
"There have to be some regulations for ads man. That Shot deo ad is nothing short of disgusting. Even though I knew it was an ad and it wouldn't happen. The fear for a second I felt was real. Imagine making an ad on the fears of millions of women! WTF!", yet another tweeted.
