B&TB&TB&T
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Search
Trending topics:
  • Cairns Crocodiles
  • Nine
  • Seven
  • Cannes Lions
  • WPP
  • State of Origin
  • NRL
  • B&T Women in Media
  • Thinkerbell
  • imaa
  • AFL
  • Pinterest
  • Anthony Albanese
  • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • AI
  • Agency Scorecards
  • Meta
  • TV Ratings
  • Radio Ratings
  • Sports Marketing

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
Reading: Complaints Against M&M’s ‘You Get In The Bowl’ Ad Dismissed
Share
B&TB&T
Subscribe
Search
  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Technology
  • Regulars
    • Agency Scorecards
    • Best of the Best
    • Campaigns of the Month
    • CMO Power List
    • CMOs to Watch
    • Culture Bites
    • Fast 10
    • New Business Winners
    • Spotlight on Sponsors
  • Jobs
  • Awards
    • 30 Under 30
    • B&T Awards
    • Cairns Crocodiles
    • Women In Media
    • Women Leading Tech
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.
B&T > Advertising > Complaints Against M&M’s ‘You Get In The Bowl’ Ad Dismissed
Advertising

Complaints Against M&M’s ‘You Get In The Bowl’ Ad Dismissed

Erin M Doyle
Published on: 24th June 2016 at 11:06 AM
Erin M Doyle
Share
3 Min Read
M&Ms
SHARE

The Advertising Standards Board (ASB) has received complaints about a TVC for chocolate brand M&M’s claiming the ad is violent towards men.

This television advertisement opens on a woman asking her partner to get her a snack. The man opens a kitchen cupboard and various items fly out and hit his head. We then see that it is animated M&M’s throwing the objects. The man tells them to get in to the bowl and we hear one of the M&M’s reply, “You get in the bowl!”

A sample of the complaints included: “The ad does not meet the Code of Ethics 2.3 of the Australian Association of National Advertisers which states ‘Advertising or Marketing Communications shall not present or portray violence unless it is justifiable in the context of the product or service advertised.’

“Showing a man being repeatedly hit in the head to sell chocolates is unjustifiable violence and the ad does not meet the Code. As well, the ad would be highly unlikely to appeal to men, and the ad is more than likely targeted at women who would like to see a man being hit in the head by thrown objects.

“It is highly likely that she was aware the man was being hit in the head, and she had purposely asked him to get the chocolates from the cupboard knowing he would get hit by objects thrown at him.”

In response to the complaints, a M&M’s representative said: “The advertisement simply depicts the M&M’s characters in a fictional environment, throwing items in a light-hearted way at the man — items such as apples, bananas and magazines. The Red M&M’s character then holds up a slice of bread as if going to throw it at the male. The male in the scene does not get injured.”

The ASB dismissed the complaints saying that the man is annoyed not hurt by the M&M’s. “The Board noted that objects fly out of the cupboard and strike the man’s head but considered that his reaction is of annoyance, not of being hurt, and in the Board’s view the overall message is that M&M’s don’t want to be eaten, and not that it is acceptable to throw objects at a person. The Board considered that the advertisement did not present or portray violence and determined that the advertisement did not breach Section 2.3 of the Code.”

Join more than 30,000 advertising industry experts
Get all the latest advertising and media news direct to your inbox from B&T.

No related posts.

TAGGED: Ad standards
Share
Erin M Doyle
By Erin M Doyle
Follow:
Erin Doyle is an experienced digital marketing specialist and comms expert.

Latest News

Delicious. Produce Awards Turns 20
16/07/2025
Mountain Dew & PYRA Launch ‘Dew Drip’ Fashion Capsule Via VaynerMedia
16/07/2025
Agency Scorecard: Publicis Worldwide
16/07/2025
Mushroom Killer Continues To Do The Numbers As Aussie Podcasts Dominate June Rankings
16/07/2025
//

B&T is Australia’s leading news publication magazine for the advertising, marketing, media and PR industries.

 

B&T is owned by parent company The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd.

About B&T

  • About
  • Contact
  • Editorial Guidelines
  • Privacy
  • Terms
  • Advertise

Top Categories

  • Advertising
  • Campaigns
  • Marketing
  • Media
  • Opinion
  • Technology
  • TV Ratings

Sign Up for Our Newsletter



B&TB&T
Follow US
© 2025 B&T. The Misfits Media Company Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Register Lost your password?