YouTube and Twitter have been ordered to remove a contentious body spray ad called ‘Shot’ by company Layer’r from their sites. On social media, the ad has been chastised for supporting rape culture. The I&B Ministry has sent letters to both platforms stating that the video is “disruptive to the portrayal of women in the interest of decency or morality” and that it is in violation of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules of 2021.
The concerned regulatory body is holding an inquiry – in this case, the Advertising Standards Council of India added.
The advertisements were reportedly shown during the England versus. New Zealand cricket match, according to Twitter users. Both commercials depict women in a ‘difficult place,’ fearful of being sexually assaulted or harassed by a group of guys making inappropriate comments.
The first ad starts with a couple in the bedroom. Shortly after, four of the guy’s friends enter the room and ask the ‘boyfriend’, “Shot maara lagta hai (Seems you took the shot)?” He replies that he did, leaving the woman in shock. One of them then rolls up his sleeves and begins to approach the bed saying, “Ab humari baari (Now it’s our turn).” The woman recoils in fear, perhaps of being attacked but the ad then reveals that the man was just picking up the perfume bottle from the dresser.
The second ad is shot in a grocery store where a group of men are seen having a conversation, standing behind a woman. One of them says, “Hum char aur ye sirf ek (We’re four and this is just one)”, when another man asks, “To shot kaun lega (Who will take the shot)?”. The girl, overhearing the conversation, turns around in anger and fear when the ad reveals they were discussing the last remaining bottle of the body spray.
Twitter users have called out the brand for coming up with creepy advertisements that promote rape. Both the advertisements are receiving backlash from netizens, with many asking who approved such disgusting content.
