I&B Min Orders Suspension of 'Shot' Body Spray Ad For 'Promoting Rape Culture'

This comes after the company faced severe backlash from social media users for "promoting rape" in the ads.

The ad is facing severe backlash on social media.

(Photo: Video screengrab)

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has ordered the suspension of two advertisements by the brand Layer’r for their 'Shot' body spray, news agency ANI reported on Saturday, 4 June.

The ministry has asked Twitter and YouTube to remove the video from their platforms.

This comes after the company faced severe backlash from social media users for "promoting rape culture" in their ads.

Meanwhile, the advertisement regulatory body Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has said that the ad is in serious breach of the ASCI Code.

Adding that it is against public interest, ASCI said that it has taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation.

What Do the Ads Show?

One of the two advertisements shows four men at a supermarket where they spot the last remaining bottle of Layer’r Shot, after which they talk about who will take the last “shot”. However, the visual during this conversation is that of a woman, instead of the body spray.

A second advertisement shows a group of young men entering a room where another young man and woman were already present. They proceed to engage in a conversation where they made remarks with sexual innuendos.

Letters by I&B Ministry to YouTube and Twitter

The letters written to the two social media platforms states that the the video is 'detrimental to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency or morality', and that it is in violation of the rule 3(1)(b)(ii) of the Information Technology Rules, which says that users should not host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, store, update or share any information which is insulting or harassing on the basis of gender.

The Ad Faces Backlash 

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chief, Swati Maliwal wrote to the I&B Ministry seeking action against the ad and issues a notice to the Delhi Police on the matter.

A press note by commission read, "taking suo-moto cognizance of the matter, DCW Chief has stated that the advertisements promote gang rape culture. She has written a letter to I&B Minister as well as issued notice to Delhi Police in the matter. In the notice to Delhi Police Cyber Crime, DCW chief has sought registration of FIR and removal of the content from mass media. Delhi Police has been asked to provide an action taken report in the matter by 09.06.2022."

Swati Maliwal said, "FIR should be registered, advertisements should be taken off air and strongest penalty should be imposed on this company. Delhi Police and I&B Ministry must urgently act in the matter without wasting any further time.”

(With inputs from ANI.)