A bus company in Scotland has come under fire for a series of adverts that have been branded “sexist” and “hugely offensive”.
New Adventure Travel launched the campaign to advertise a new promotion, posting images of topless women holding signs saying ‘Ride Me All Day For £3’ on the back of their vehicles.
The campaign has sparked outrage on Twitter, with singer Charlotte Church among those who have slammed the ads as “abhorrent”.
Hey @NAT_Group THIS IS ABHORRENT! You should remove these hugely offensive ads ASAP pic.twitter.com/EphM8N8xyI” Please complain and retweet.
— Charlotte Church (@charlottechurch) May 11, 2015
This is a bus in Cardiff. This is how they promote their promotional fare. THIS IS WRONG AND STUPID! https://t.co/SfAOFUO3Mp — dido krüger (@didokruger) May 11, 2015
Yet another objectifying ad. Thankfully it’s already being taken down #eachbodysready http://t.co/NzPJD5L3JO pic.twitter.com/Hz1YEtmrwp
— Do Something UK (@DoSomethingUK) May 11, 2015
The company has now released a statement saying that the ads were “tongue-in-cheek” but confirmed that they would be removed due to the high level of complaints.
“Firstly, we have stated that our objectives have been to make catching the bus attractive to the younger generation. We therefore developed an internal advertising campaign featuring males and females to hold boards to promote the cost of our daily tickets.
“The slogan of ‘ride me all day for £3’ whilst being a little tongue in cheek was in no way intended to cause offence to either men or women and, if the advert has done so then we apologise unreservedly. There has certainly been no intention to objectify either men or women. Given the volume of negativity received we have decided to remove the pictures from the back of the buses within the next twenty four hours.”
