Advertising Standards Authority dismisses TV viewer's concerns ANZ ad 'demeans and disrespects' Mt Ruapehu

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has thrown out a complaint that claimed an ANZ Rugby World Cup television advertisement was "demeaning and disrespectful" towards Mt Ruapehu.

The ad in question notes that New Zealand is poised to host the biggest sporting event in its history, and says ANZ wants to know how you would welcome the world New Zealand. It then shows a man and woman on top of a mountain with the man saying: "We’d make a giant party popper and fire it from Mt Ruapehu.”

The couple then detonate a giant party popper that was floating on the crater lake, which sends streamers up into the air.

As official bank of the Rugby World Cup ANZ is a sponsor and the ad in question is part of a "welcome the world to New Zealand" promotion it's running.

Complainant, J. Milledge, felt "uneasy" watching the advertisement because Mt Ruapehu was "a majestic mountain, a national treasure."

"I found the images of a massive part (sic) popper going off on its summit demeaning and disrespectful. I write this as a secular, atheist, Pakeha. I can only imagine how Maori, particularly local iwi feel.”

In its decision the ASA noted the Complainant’s "sincere concerns" about using Mt Ruapehu as a place to detonate a giant party popper in order to celebrate the Rugby World Cup. But it said the entire scenario portrayed a "fantastical and hyperbolic" way the couple would celebrate the start of the Rugby World Cup.

"The majority of viewers would see the advertisement as humorous and exaggerated hyperbole, rather than taking offence at the depiction of the mountain," the ASA said.

The ad wasn't likely to cause serious or widespread offence.  Therefore, there was no breach of the Advertising Codes and no grounds to proceed with the complaint.