I&B Ministry orders YouTube, Twitter to take down Layer'r Shot deo ads slammed for promoting 'rape culture'

The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has ordered the suspension of two advertisements of the body spray brand Layer’r Shot after a massive social media outrage against the ads for promoting “rape culture”.

YouTube and Twitter have been asked to take down the ad.

I&B Ministry asks Twitter, YouTube to take down "derogatory (Layer'r Shot) ad circulating on social media." pic.twitter.com/9aFUlKf97z

— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2022

The advertisements were first broadcast during the first Test match between England and New Zealand. One of the adverts sees four men having a conversation at a deserted store. The men are debating who will take the “shot” as there are four of them and only “one shot”. As the men discuss the topic, a woman is shown in the ad. She turns back to berate them as she thinks they are conversing about her, but later realises that their talk is centred on the last remaining bottle of the Layer’r perfume. View the tweet here:

The second advert shows a group of men entering a bedroom while a couple is there. One of them asks a crude question about the girl, implying about sexual favours. The clip later reveals that he was asking about using the perfume.

There have to be some regulations for ads man. That Shot deo ad is nothing short of disgusting actually. Even though I knew it was an ad and it wouldn't happen. The fear for a second I felt was real. Imagine making an ad on the fears of millions of women! WTF!

— Monika 👩🏼‍🍳🍽 (@monikamanchanda) June 3, 2022

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Once the ads were released, several internet users slammed the company for being “disgusting, creepy and promoting rape.” “"@layerr_shot pull these ads. They perpetuate rape culture. Sony Liv pls stop broadcasting these #Layershot ads," a Twitter user said. Some even questioned how these ads got approved.

Here are some more reactions:

Terrible advertising. Just unacceptable.

— Prof. Dr. Sanjeev Bagai (@BagaiDr) June 4, 2022

God knows who approved such advertisement and who regulates the standards

— M SHAYIN (@m_shayin) June 3, 2022

oh my god. This ad was triggering for me, what would it be for those living with trauma.

So difficult to process how blasé the makers can be about real-lived threats and experiences that become core to our way of living/surviving.

— Mandira Kala (@MandiraKala) June 3, 2022

Several people also tagged the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) and demanded that it take the advert off air. The ASCI had responded saying that “The ad is in serious breach of the ASCI Code and is against public interest". The body added that it has “taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation.”

View the ASCI’s tweet here:

Thank you for tagging us. The ad is in serious breach of the ASCI Code and is against public interest. We have taken immediate action and notified the advertiser to suspend the ad, pending investigation.

— ASCI (@ascionline) June 3, 2022

This is not the first body spray ad that has faced social media outrage. Earlier, brands like Wild Stone, Addiction Deo and Axe have been called out for being sexist.

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