Euro Fashion asked to withdraw ad for potraying roosters indecently

Bengaluru: The Advertising Standards Council of India, in response to a complaint by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisation (FIAPO) against an advertisement by Euro Fashion innerwear has directed the advertisers to withdraw the advertisement.

The said print commercial depicts nude men holding a rooster to cover their genitals with a tagline: “What’s your size????

FIAPO, in its complaint, against the particular commercial had not only stated the violations under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960 but also had termed it distasteful and vulgar.

ASCI, on receiving multiple complaints on this advertisement including that of Ms Shakuntala Majumdar from Thane SPCA, a member organisation of FIAPO’s, upheld the complaint. It said that the advertisement contravened Chapter II of the ASCI Code. The consumer complaints council (CCC) concluded that the advertisement was indecent, vulgar, and repulsive.

Arpan Sharma, CEO of FIAPO in his response to this victory said; “We are indeed delighted at this withdrawal order. While Euro Fashion had defended itself when we had sent them a complaint, this order for withdrawal proves that animals should not be shown in such poor light. Animals are as much as part of nature as we are and to use their reference in such a derogatory manner is wrong.  This reflects very poorly on the advertisers.???

Shakuntala Majumdar, Founder, Thane SPCA and Governing Board Member, FIAPO said; “The advertisement is in the worst of taste. Apart from the fact that it depicts an extremely intelligent species of animal as a corollary of direct sexuality, I only shudder to think how many children may have seen the advertisement and the kind of affect it might have had on them. We are very happy that this offensive advertisement, both towards the animals as well as towards society at large is now banned???.