You will see from here that Ryanair are asking readers to comment on the “quality” of certain “gentlemen’s clubs”. Can you believe it. Yes, I’m afraid, from Ryanair.
At the end of the piece Ryanair asks for comments. It would be great if you would post words to the effect of get stuffed, appalling or similar, bearing in mind it’s probably not a good idea to sink into the gutter the way Ryanair have.
As if inside the airplane wasn't bad enough...they top it off with mysogynist inflight magazines
What is exciting is that the Irish ASA has a clause in its code of advertising standards stating:
‘Marketing communications should respect the principle of the equality of men and women. They should avoid sex stereotyping and any exploitation or demeaning of men and women. ‘
The UK code does not have this, despite the calls earlier this year from the parliamentary Gender Equality committee for all European advertising monitors to address gender stereotyping. In fact, the British ASA contacted me in July to say that a clause on gender stereotyping would not be necessary. They argued the ASA code already provides sufficient regulation to ensure that advertising is not discriminatory or harmful to women.
Ryanair’s recent advertising proves the British ASA wrong. Adverts containing harmful stereotypes persist. I have written to the Irish ASA to complain against the adverts. But I shall also find out whether Ryanair used the same publicity in Ireland as in the UK. I want to know why Irish women are protected from this advertising, but not British women.
If you would like to see the text of my letter to the ASAI, please join the facebook group below:
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=602192398#/group.php?gid=34407854790&ref=mf
RE: Ryanair’s Charity Calendar Advertisements
I recently received a publicity email from Ryanair, which included a large advertisement for their 2009 charity calendar featuring semi-naked female cabin crew. The advert also included a link to a ‘soft-porn’ style video on the making of the Ryanair calendar.
This advertising appears to contravene paragraphs 2.2 (social responsibility) and 5.1 (decency) of the non-broadcast CAP code.
I have highlighted some issues below that are of particular concern:
o Have Ryanair checked that the recipients of this mass email are not minors? If not then they are ignoring their social responsibility to consumers and the wider public.
o Have all of Ryanair’s staff consented to this calendar being made? This calendar clearly sexualises Ryanair’s female cabin crew and may undermine them professionally. The calendar will, I hope, have been made with the consent of the staff appearing in it. But such advertising will have ramifications for the wider body of staff. It may contravene paragraph 13 of the CAP (protection of privacy). Ryanair does not recognise trade unions, making it vital that their advertising does not adversely affect a body of workers who must remain voiceless.
Ryanair’s advertising has caused wide concern, as can be seen in the facebook campaign group that has been set up to raise awareness of the issue.
I ask you to take up these issues with Ryanair.
Yours faithfully
Mary Honeyball MEP
You might like to read my Guardian Comment is Free article on Ryanair’s advertising, or vote in the poll on the left.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/nov/21/ryanair-advertising
The sexy calendar features Ryanair’s staff posing in skimpy bikinis wielding hoses and sprawling across aircrafts. But worse still the links I received in a promotional email took me to a YouTube soft porn-style video of Ryanair staff being stroked by greased-up men and scintillating camera close-ups. I received this depressing advert in a spam email, with no age limit, to titillate its customers to “click on the video link to bare all”. Be warned!
On a serious note, these women have no access to trade union representation. Ryanair does not recognise any worker organisation and accordingly no trade union has been able to establish itself in Ryanair to defend cabin crew. Even though some of these women could be happy to take part, who do they turn to if they’re not?
Last night I received an email from Ryanair advertising their latest sale and 2009 calendar of scantily clad staff who “bare all”.
Do you think this is an acceptable way to portray your female cabin crew? Why not take part in the poll I’ve added to this blog?
