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Complaint reference number
Advertiser
Product
Type of advertisement
Nature of complaint
Date of determination
DETERMINATION
462/09
MARS Food Australia (Dolmios)
Food & Beverages
TV
Discrimination or vilification Race – section 2.1
Wednesday, 25 November 2009
Dismissed
DESCRIPTION OF THE ADVERTISEMENT
This advertisement depicts puppets talking about how to make a pasta meal. First cooka de
pasta ... in de oven dish. You put on the dolmio pasta bake sauce and then you put the dish in the
oven. Two child like puppets are then depicted saying "dad is putting the pasta in the oven" and they
giggle. The mother puppet is depicted next saying "Very good papa, next time we feature the washing
up eh".
THE COMPLAINT
A sample of comments which the complainant/s made regarding this advertisement included the
following:
It continues to promote stereotypes,why doesn't the family have a dishwasher, and the kid is wearing a
soccer logo why couldn't he be wearing a basketball, AFL shirt instead.
I never see British Australians in commercials being represented as not willing to contribute to the
house work and they had similar issues themselves from that generation, why is it acceptable to
continue to portray non-British people like this?
THE ADVERTISER’S RESPONSE
Comments which the advertiser made in response to the complaint/s regarding this advertisement
included the following:
You have advised Mars Food about a possible breach of Section 2 of the AANA Advertiser Code of
Ethics. The complainant’s letter indicates their specific concern relates to the advertisement not
representative of Australian society and that it promotes stereotypes of European families.
Let us respond to the complaint as per the references to the code:
The DOLMIO Puppets is a well loved, global advertising campaign that dramatises how DOLMIO
meals encourage the family to get together, share food and truly be themselves. Every execution in
the long-running campaign is built off a real human insight uncovered through consumer research
around the way that families relate with one another. In the case of the Pasta Bakes ad, the truth
that was dramatised was that dads like to cook but often make a real mess when they do so. By
anchoring the story in a real consumer truth, we create advertising that’s engaging and highly
relatable to the viewer at home. The story telling is deliberately more humorous and therefore
entertaining and memorable than real life through the very fact we use puppets to deliver our
story. We certainly do not believe that the campaign perpetuates stereotypes, particularly racial
ones. In the end, being an Italian food brand, it is appropriate to use Italian characters in our ads
and, as explained, we believe the stories we present are genuine truths about the way families
connect with one another – be they Australian, English or Italian.
Accordingly we believe our Dolmios ® advertising meets the provisions of the Code, so the
complaint should be dismissed.
THE DETERMINATION
The Advertising Standards Board (“Board”) considered whether this advertisement breaches Section
2 of the Advertiser Code of Ethics (the “Code”).
The Board noted the complainant's concern that the advertisement negatively depicts a stereotype
which is from a non-British background.
The Board noted the advertiser's response that the advertisement is promoting an Italian food brand,
and it was appropriate to use Italian characters in the advertisements and that the stories represented
in the advertisements were representative of how some families connect with one another, whether
they are of Australian, English or Italian origin.
The Board viewed the advertisement and considered whether the advertisement was in breach of
section 2.1 of the Code.
Section 2.1 of the Code states:
"Advertising or Marketing Communications shall not portray people or depict material in a way
which discriminates against or vilifies a person or section of the community on account of race,
ethnicity, nationality, sex, age, sexual preference, religion, disability or political belief."
The Board empathised with the complainant's views, regarding the portrayal of the puppets in
a manner which may be sterotypical of some families, including non-British families. The Board
considered the application of section 2.1 of the Code relating to discrimination or vilification on
account of nationality or ethnicity. The Board considered that the advertisement was a light-hearted
depiction of a family, in a situation where the father was participating in the family cooking. Although
arguably, it was a stereotypical depiction of an Italian family and of the roles of members of that
family, the Board considered the portrayal of the puppets does not ridicule or demean a certain group
of people and instead was promoting a brand which produces "Italian style foods" which is quick and
easy to prepare. The Board therefore found no breach of Section 2.1 of the Code. Finding that the
advertisement did not breach the Code on other grounds, the Board dismissed the complaint.