First the kiss, now legs -- DD bans two more ads

First the kiss, now legs -- DD bans two more ads
Anuradha Raman

New Delhi, February 24: After theClose-up kiss, it’s now Wrangler jeans and LML motorbike. Ads for both have been banned from DD’s platform. While the sight of a long-legged woman taking her pants off to douse a blaze started by three bumbling men out in the world was found to be downright offensive and suggestive, the LML ad where there is little to distinguish between a woman and a motorbike, was struck down by DD as ‘‘plain distasteful’’ and degrading to women.

Welcome to the new moral order being ushered by DD and I&B Minister Sushma Swaraj. Even before Swaraj could say cut, DD has decided to do away with these ads that officials now say violate the accepted code for commercial advertising.

The code for commercial advertising states: No advertisement shall be permitted which project a derogatory image of women. Women must not be portrayed in a manner that emphasises passive, submissive qualities and encourages them to play a subordinate, secondary role in the family and society.

Three years ago, if it was CEO S.S. Gill, who struck down all fairness creams as being offensive to women, now it is Swaraj who is wielding the broom. The other ads which could not see the light of day are the Allwyn refrigerator ad which is yet to make its debut on private channels, for making fun of the Karnataka police for their inability in nabbing elusive forest brigand Veerappan. The other commercial lampoons Hritik Roshan.

Viewers who desire to watch these commercials can, of course, do so on privatechannels.