You get those people who really love to complain about everything.

My theory is that they are so deeply unhappy with their own lives, they have to make everyone else’s miserable.

But like I said, it’s just a theory.

One group who deals with these kinds of people on the regular is the Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA). They receive complaints from both businesses and people, and aim to ensure that “self-regulation results in the best possible protection”.

The most recent complaint was in response to Country Fresh Ice Cream’s TV ad, which would supposedly “mislead children into thinking that it is acceptable to lie and be devious.”

According to MyBroadband:

Its advert shows a young girl asking her mother for ice cream, then modifying her outfit to look like her twin sister – after which she asks for more ice cream.

The complainant said this shows children it is acceptable to lie, and the advert does not show the punishment someone receives for lying.

You can read the full complaint HERE, as ASA publishes all recent rulings on their site, and they are available for free for 30 days. You can even see who made the complaint.

While the complaint was, of course, dismissed by ASA, they have quite a few others that are just as ridiculous:

Can’t Sleep?

The complaint: A “semi-nude” man “gyrating sexually” is unacceptable for children to see when watching TV during the afternoon.

The complaint was dismissed.

Mother Buffer

The three complainants: the woman saying “mother buffer” was “unsuitable and horrific for children”.

The complaint was dismissed.

Cell C’s “dog humping”

Hundreds of complaints: not suitable for broadcasting.

Complaints were dismissed.

Vodacom Beyonce advert

The complaint: Vodacom’s ad sexualises women and children, and is not acceptable that a little child watch a “sexually-provocative video” and thereafter emulate it.

The ASA found that the Vodacom Beyonce commercial contained no inappropriate movements, and that no inappropriate parts of the anatomy were shown – dismissing the appeal.

While I can completely empathise with the complainants, some people really need to just breath and live a little.

[source: mybroadband]