Layer Shot Ad Controversy: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (Ministry of I&B) has put an immediate ban on the telecast of the controversial Layer Shot deodorant TV ad. The ministry has ordered an inquiry under the Advertising Code. Not only this, but the ministry has also asked Twitter and YouTube to remove all the clips of this advertisement. This ad is getting severe criticism everywhere. Huge displeasure is being expressed on social media about this ad. Layer'r Shot, a perfume and body spray, has been heavily criticized for its two new commercials on Twitter. Users of the microblogging platform have said in their response that this ad is promoting rape culture. Twitter users have heavily criticized the brand for coming up with creepy ads promoting rape. Many people are asking about both the advertisements and who approved such hate content.
According to the news, in an advertisement, four men are seen chatting over what looks like a cosmetic section of a store. Seeing the last bottle of Layer perfume on the rack (layer shot ad controversy), the men discuss who will take the bottle of body perfume as there is only one left, but the way they discuss it shocks a woman Looks like what appears with a cart.
Ad lines on which controversy happened
In this ad, four men discuss among themselves- "Hum chaar aur ye Ek... Shot on lega... (We are four and only one is left.. Who will take the shot?). Hearing their discussion, the woman was shocked and she got angry. However, to her surprise, she found the men discussing 'shot', and body spray. The second ad depicts a couple in the bedroom. In the next scene, the boy has four male friends come into the room and ask, "shot mara lagta hai (Looks like you hit a shot?"), to which he replies, "Ha mara na (yes, I did). In the next scene, a friend says "Now it's our turn (now it's our turn)," and goes into the room to get a bottle of body perfume kept by the bed.
Users criticized a lot
In their response, users on social media raised the question that who are the people who created these ads? After the layered shot ad controversy started airing on TV channels, several Twitter users started calling brands promoting rape. Now the government has taken a strict decision, taking cognizance of this matter and has stopped its broadcast immediately.
ASCI's statement regarding the advertisement also came to the fore
Advertising body Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) has also given its response to the advertisement. It was found by ASCI that the advertisements have been produced against the existing code. The ASCI issued a press release stating that the advertisements were a "serious violation of the ASCI Code".
ASCI wrote a letter to the advertiser on 3 June informing the suspension of the advertisement. According to the rules of ASCI regarding advertisements, Chapter II states that there should not be anything indecent, or obscene in advertisements. It will be considered a crime to show the depiction of women in a wrong way, which has been done through this advertisement.
Netizens were furious after seeing this advertisement on TV, and it sparked outrage across the country. Now Bollywood celebs like Farhan Akhtar, Priyanka Chopra, Jonas, Richa Chadha, Swara Bhaskar and Sona Mohapatra have commented on this.
Calling it 'tasteless', Farhan Akhtar said, "What a tasteless and perverted mind to think, approve and make of these stinky body spray gang rape spontaneous commercials!! Shameful." Check out the tweet here:
Richa Chadha also slammed it and wrote, "This ad is not an accident. To create an advertisement, a brand goes through several layers of decision making. Creative, script, agency, client, casting… Does everyone think rap is a joke? Revelation!"
