The ad features a man flinging mud at his Toyota Fortuner, which then transforms into a person portrayed by comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout. The "vehicle," dressed in khaki and covered in mud, humorously challenges the owner’s actions and ultimately suggests selling the car to We Buy Cars.
The complaint focused on a line in the commercial where the "vehicle" states, “I wanna get dirtier than the bottom of Afrikaans people’s feet.” The complainant argued this was derogatory and should be reported to the Human Rights Commission.
The ARB found that the ad did not violate the Code of Advertising Practice, specifically clauses on offensive advertising and discrimination. The board concluded that the ad used hyperbole to humorously highlight the toughness of the vehicle compared to its suburban owner. The reference to Afrikaans people's feet was intended as a humorous indication of grit and endurance, not as a derogatory stereotype.
The ARB noted that the ad's tone was positive and celebrated the toughness associated with walking barefoot, a common cultural reference within the Afrikaans community.
"The Commercial draws parallels between tough people and tough situations. References to Eben Etzebeth and walking barefoot are done as an indication of toughness. It is common knowledge that Afrikaans people enjoy walking barefoot. Similarly, walking barefoot is often seen as an indication of having faced harsh conditions, which results in dirty feet," said the ARB.
"Presumably, Schalk uses this analogy because Afrikaans families are not known to be averse to letting their children play barefoot, and many primary schools allow children to attend barefoot during the summer. It is also not uncommon to hear Afrikaans men reminisce about the days when they still played rugby with bare feet."
The board found no evidence that the commercial was interpreted as offensive by the general Afrikaans community.
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