Bad language gets your attention down under.

Bad language gets your attention down under.

Country:
Australia; United Kingdom

Source:

Aussie ad banned from British TV for bad language

One of the offending images from Australia's $133 million Tourism Australia campaign (Tourism Australia/Reuters)

Times Online March 09, 2006

Vik Iyer and agencies

Copyright 2006 Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2077530,00.html

British regulators lift tourism ad ban

Last Update: Saturday, March 18, 2006. 11:07am (AEDT)

ABC News Online

A ban on an Australian tourism campaign has been lifted in Britain. (ABC TV)

©ABC News Online

http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200603/s1594978.htm

Story:

The British censors banned TV ads for an Australian Tourism campaign. The adds had the slogan, “Where the bloody hell are you?”

Soon after the censors changed their mind after heavy lobbying by the Australian authorities. As a consequence the campaign got more attention that it might have done had not been banned.

Facts:

- The campaign budget was $133 million.

- Ban reported 9 March and the lifting of the ban reported 18 March.

Language:

- Why should bad language be censored when it clearly has a very high frequency use in society?

- Who decides if language is bad or not?

Comments:

- Whose morality or sensitivities are being protected?

- What happened to sense of humour?

Bottom-Line:

How much was the extra publicity worth for the Australian campaign? How can companies factor in this sort of free publicity into their marketing campaigns? Will this be above board?