These were the 8 most offensive ads from Australia in 2016
By Hannah Roberts From Business Insider
The Australian Standards Bureau (ASB) has released a list of the most complained-about ads of 2016.
The most complained about ad, criticized for discriminating against vegans, received more than 700 complaints.
In total, the ASB received more than 5,000 complaints about ads in 2016, over a third of which were for advertisements in the below ranking. (We usually publish the ASB’s top 10 most complained-about ads, but three of the top 10 reference the same ad but for different mediums — TV, internet, and social — so there are eight ads in total, not 10).
Check out the eight most offensive ads from Australia in 2016.
6. “The Conjuring 2,” Roadshow Films — 82 complaints. Viewers complained the graphic horror content was too extreme for children and generally distressing for adults too. The board upheld the complaints.
5. Ultra Tune — 113 complaints. Complaints focused 
on how the ad portrays women as stupid drivers who need to be rescued by men. They were all dismissed.
4. Ultra Tune — 208 complaints. Viewers complained that the women — who remained sat in a car that was careering toward train tracks, instead of immediately escaping it — were portrayed as stupid and this made 
light of a serious situation. Another complaint argued the ad suggested the women were only “good for one thing.” The board upheld the complaints on the grounds that the ad discriminated or vilified gender.
3. BCF — 248 complaints. Complaints related to the ad’s play on words — “Boating, camping, fishing is 
BCFing fun” — and that it was broadcast at a time when children are viewing and were likely to repeat the jingle. BCF responded that the lyrics “BCFing Fun” directly translate to “Boating, Camping, Fishing fun” and the ASB dismissed the complaints.
2. Ultra Tune — 418 complaints. Viewers complained this ad, which featured women in skin tight outfits 
dancing with the tagline “we’re into rubber,” had pornographic overtones and degraded women. The ASB dismissed the complaints on the basis that the women’s breasts were not the focus of the ad.
1. Meat & Livestock Australia — 747 complaints. People complained this ad discriminated against and vilified vegans as it showed one vegan left behind during a recovery mission to rescue expat Australians from various countries so that they can come home 
and eat lamb on Australia day. The complaints were dismissed.
