Thread by @JewhadiTM

First ads fall victim to new U.K. ban on ads using gender stereotypes reason.com/2019/08/15/the… via @reason

The first ads to fall prey to the U.K.'s new ban on gender stereotypes in advertising are tepid spots for Philadelphia Cream Cheese and Volkswagen. The law, which is enforced by the U.K.'s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), went into effect in June.

The ASA states it’s aware the ad was done with a comedic tone, but still ruled against it because it found "that the narrative and humor in the ad derived from the use of the gender stereotype," and thus didn't lessen "the effect of the harmful stereotype."

Of the Volkswagen ad, ASA said:

“By juxtaposing images of men in extraordinary environments and carrying out adventurous activities with women who appeared passive or engaged in a stereotypical care-giving role...”

“... we considered that the ad directly contrasted stereotypical male and female roles and characteristics in a manner that gave the impression that they were exclusively associated with one gender.

Following the implementation of the bans, Jesse Tye, ASA investigation manager, alleged in a radio interview that gender stereotypes cause real-world harm. "The types of harms we might be talking about are, for example, affecting people's aspirations.”

“You know it might affect the career choices girls make or boys make," Tye told the BBC.

This echoes what the ASA claimed when the ban was implemented. Stereotypical depictions "can restrict the choices, aspirations, and opportunities of children, young people, and adults...”