NATIONAL: A surf and skatewear retailer has successfully argued the use of the words balls when not applied to sporting equipment or toys is neither crude nor offensive.
Sole trading company Ramp 2 Ramp was asked to explain its use of the term in a recent television advertisement it created to promote its street and skatewear stock.
The ad showed images of store products, including clothing, board shorts, wallets, shoes, belts and caps with the final image showing details of the store and its location.
However it's tagline 'Have you got enough balls?" attracted the ire of at least one complainant who wrote to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB) arguing the term was used solely for shock value.
The unnamed complainant said as there were no balls or "ball game merchandise" in the ad, they could not see any relevance.
"I and my wife find it offensive to be repeatedly assaulted with that term, especially on a mass media, and another indication of slipping standards. I guess we left it to others to complain, but maybe they accept it as progress in lowering standards."
For its part Ramp 2 Ramp stated that it believed it market was targeted to those in the general public who liked to "live life on the edge".
The question asked in the ad was intended to be rhetorical and designed to let customers ask themselves whether they had the fortitude to go to the store and look around.
The ASB board ruled that although the use of the 'balls' phrase was not specifically relevant to the product being advertised, its use was consistent with its colloquial usage in Australia therefore the ad did not breach the Advertiser Code of Ethics.
The complaint was dismissed.