Disgusting or spoof? Ad watchdog rules on spitting in hubby's coffee mug

Picture the scene: a young woman spits into a coffee mug in an advert for flowers and serves the beverage to her none-the-wiser partner as punishment for him forgetting about Valentine’s Day.

“Babe, I made you coffee,” the woman calls out cheerfully.

Disgusting or simply a spoof? That’s what the Advertising Regulatory Board’s appeals committee had to decide in weighing up a complaint by Robert Adams against the advert made for TV and online platforms by NetFlorist.

The board initially rejected a complaint in January by Adams describing it as “disgusting and wrong on many levels”, so he took the ruling on appeal. Adams argued there was a “racial undercurrent” to the scene because it featured a black woman, that the ad portrayed a lazy, sexist stereotype of what Valentine's Day was about and featured “disgusting behaviour in general, not fit for viewing by children or adults”.

NetFlorist removed the commercial from all paid advertising and stopped promoting it, but it remained on YouTube.

The company said the advert was clearly intended to be a spoof, the actress chosen was the best one suited to the role and in response to claims of “sexist stereotypes about romance”, said Adams was welcome not to watch it: “Different strokes for different folks.”

The appeals committee ruled it was clear the advertisement was not intended to cause offence but is intended to be uncomfortable to watch and is a spoof. That is what makes the advertisement funny. While spitting in public may not be regarded in “good taste” or “decent”, no spit is visible in the advertisement and therefore it is unlikely to cause offence to the public.

The committee said the idea of a woman spitting in her partner’s coffee was not pleasant or polite but just because something is not pleasant or polite does not render it in contravention of the code.

The additional concerns were rejected and the appeal dismissed.

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