Sexualising is not anything new in the ad industry and several times bands and ad agencies have been pulled up for this.
But a new set of advertisements for body spray Layer'r Shot seem to have crossed all lines when it comes to sexualisation.
In one of the advertisements broadcasted on Sony Liv during the first Test match between England versus New Zealand, a group of men are seen entering a room that had a young couple.
The men then advance towards the visibly shocked woman, only to take the Shot deodorant bottle kept in the room.
In another ad, four men are seen stalking a woman inside a supermarket.
"We are four and this is just one, who will take the shot?," one of the men asks. As the shocked woman looks on one of the men grabs a bottle of Shot deodorant kept on the rack.
Many on Twitter were outraged and accused the ads of trivialising an issue millions of women in the country have to live with every day.
Others also accused the brand of promoting rape culture.
"How does this kind of ads get approved, sick and outright disgusting. Is @layerr_shot full of perverts?," wrote one user.?
"Whoever ideated, wrote, produced, acted in and approved the new Layer'r Shot ads, shame on each one of you," wrote another Twitter user.?
"@layerr_shot pull these ads. They perpetuate rape culture. Sony Liv pls stop broadcasting these #Layershot ads," another Twitter user said.
Delhi Commission For Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal, Tweeted Ą°What a pathetic advertisement! What are these guys trying to promote, gang-rape? I am issuing notice to Delhi Police to register an FIR against the company. Also writing a letter to Min I&B @ianuragthakur ji to immediately stop this advertisement from playing on mass media.Ąą
Following the outrage on social media, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) said on Twitter that it has taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation.
Layer'r Shot is a deodorant brand owned by Adjavis Venture Limited based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
According to the company's website, Adjavis Venture Limited was launched in 2013 by Devendra N Patel with a vision of creating unique never-before personal care products that fit in effortlessly with the customerĄ¯s needs and lifestyle.
The ads in question were made by advertising agency Triton Communications.
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