The Advertising Standards Authority of South Africa (ASA) has ruled that early ejaculation and weak erections commercials should only be shown after 21:00 on South African television, saying adverts for male sexual health containing these words can't be shown during the day or at 20:00.
Viewer Marcus Govender complained to the ASA, saying his kids aged 8 and 10 watched soccer - sports programming with no age restriction - and saw TV commercials that contained sexual suggestions and innuendos during football games. In his complaint he argued that adverts from Men’s Clinic International shouldn't be shown before and during soccer games.
Men’s Clinic International told the ASA that it has two sets of commercials that is broadcast during daytime and during the night on South African television - before 20:00 and after 20:00. The night commercials specifically mentions "weak erections", "early ejaculations" and "low libido", while the daytime commercials from Men's Clinic International do not contain these words.
Men’s Clinic International told the ASA that it disagrees with the viewer over football viewership and said soccer, shown by SuperSport on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, is "predominantly watched by people over the age of 18".
The ASA directorate ruled that Men’s Clinic International "should flight its night commercials after 21:00, in appropriate programming, so as to avoid young children viewing those commercials".
The ASA directorate said the subtle sexual innuendo in Men’s Clinic International's "day" commercials "would only be understood by an adult who is already familiar with such innuendo. The execution contains no explicit scenes‚ nudity or overt references to sex".
