Latest news with #ChasEveritt
South China Morning Post
9 hours ago
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Calling women ‘birdies' is offensive, deems South African advertising regulator
A billboard in South Africa showing two women in a car with the headline 'not your average birdies' has been ruled offensive, the advertising regulator said on Thursday. The ad, placed near a golf course in the city of Johannesburg, was for the real estate agency Chas Everitt, which can appeal against the ruling issued on June 13 by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB). 'The use of the term 'birdie' constitutes negative gender portrayal,' it said. 'This advertisement is also offensive ... as sexism is a problem that affects both women and broader society.' The decision followed an official complaint that there was 'no mention of property on the board nor images that connect them [the two women] in some way to the work [of real estate agents]'. 'It's not clear what attribute of the 'birdies' depicted in the billboard are above average; is it their looks, their car? Their make-up? Their hairdo?' the complainant was quoted as saying in the ruling. The real estate agency said a 'birdie' was desirable in golf and 'not offensive to women'. Photo: Kyodo The complainant also referred to a 'community WhatsApp conversation supporting that the advertisement is widely disliked'.
Malay Mail
13 hours ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
South African ad board: Calling women ‘birdies' is 'offensive' as billboard near golf course draws ire for sexist wordplay
JOHANNESBURG, June 19 — A billboard in South Africa showing two women in a car with the headline 'not your average birdies' has been ruled offensive, the advertising regulator told AFP yesterday. The ad, placed near a golf course in the city of Johannesburg, was for the real estate agency Chas Everitt, which can appeal the ruling issued on June 13 by the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB). 'The use of the term 'birdie' constitutes negative gender portrayal,' it said. 'This advertisement is also offensive... as sexism is a problem that affects both women and broader society.' The decision followed an official complaint that there was 'no mention of property on the board nor images that connect them (the two women) in some way to the work (of real estate agents)'. 'It's not clear what attribute of the 'birdies' depicted in the billboard are above average, is it their looks, their car? Their makeup? Their hairdo?' the complainant was quoted as saying in the ruling. The complainant also referred to a 'community WhatsApp conversation supporting that the advertisement is widely disliked'. Similar to 'bloke' Chas Everitt, in its response detailed in the ruling, said that 'the term 'birdies' in the advertisement refers both to the agents depicted therein specifically (not all women, or people generally) and the golfing scoring term.' It said it was a play on words since the ad was placed near a golf course and 'birdie' was a 'desirable score in golf... therefore not offensive to women'. 'The agents portrayed in the advertisement are clearly represented as professionals, in a manner that is neither demeaning nor objectifying,' it added. Additionally, the company argued that 'the colloquial use of 'bird' is similar to the use of 'bloke' when referring to men'. However, the regulatory board said that the advert objectified and undermined women. 'The word 'bird' describes an animal, and referring to women in this way therefore objectifies them, while 'bloke' does not objectify men in the same way,' the regulator said. 'Golf associations notwithstanding, the term 'birdie' is the diminutive of 'bird' and further infantilises the women it is referring to,' it added. — AFP
The South African
13 hours ago
- Business
- The South African
Estate agent billboard calling women 'birdies' sparks outrage, ruled sexist
A billboard in Johannesburg showing two women in a car with the headline 'not your average birdies' has been ruled offensive. So says the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB). The ad, placed near a golf course in Johannesburg, was for the real estate agency Chas Everitt, which can appeal the ruling by the ARB. 'The use of the term 'birdie' constitutes negative gender portrayal,' it said. 'This advertisement is also offensive… as sexism is a problem that affects both women and broader society.' The decision followed an official complaint that there was 'no mention of property on the board nor images that connect them (the two women) in some way to the work (of real estate agents)'. 'It's not clear what attribute of the 'birdies' depicted in the billboard are above average, is it their looks, their car? Their makeup? Their hairdo?' the complainant was quoted as saying in the ruling. The complainant also referred to a 'community WhatsApp conversation supporting that the advertisement is widely disliked'. Chas Everitt, in its response detailed in the ruling, said that 'the term 'birdies' in the advertisement refers both to the agents depicted therein specifically (not all women, or people generally) and the golfing scoring term.' It said it was a play on words since the ad was placed near a golf course and 'birdie' was a 'desirable score in golf… therefore not offensive to women'. 'The agents portrayed in the advertisement are clearly represented as professionals, in a manner that is neither demeaning nor objectifying,' it added. Additionally, the company argued that 'the colloquial use of 'bird' is similar to the use of 'bloke' when referring to men'. However, the regulatory board said that the advert objectified and undermined women. 'The word 'bird' describes an animal, and referring to women in this way therefore objectifies them, while 'bloke' does not objectify men in the same way,' the regulator said. 'Golf associations notwithstanding, the term 'birdie' is the diminutive of 'bird' and further infantilises the women it is referring to,' it added. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
