More complaints were made to Australia's Advertising Standards Bureau, but of the top ten 'most complained about ads' only four complaints were upheld.

Community concern about wagering advertising joins sex and language with the introduction of a new new code on wagering advertising and marketing last year.

Chief executive Fiona Jolly says that of the record 6300 complaints received, nearly a third related to ads in the top ten list. Language was the main issue of concern in three advertisements on the list, with complaints about two Youfoodz TV commercials - in which a child appeared to be using strong language - upheld. She says advertisements with language that people would not like to hear their children repeating often receive large numbers of complaints, "even more so if the advertisement depicts a child using the bad language."

The ASB dismissed complaints about an UltraTune ad which "used sexual appeal in an exploitative and degrading manner", and said changes to the AANA Code of Ethics next March will bring stricter standards.

The ten most complained about ads 2017 were:

1.Ultra Tune Australia - 0042/17 - TV - Free to air

Two women are driving a car when the muffler falls off and starts a fire. They produce fire extinguishers and attempt to stop the fire, before leaping away as the car explodes.
Dismissed
No. of complaints: 359
Issues of concern: 2.1 - Discrimination or Vilification, 2.2 - Exploitative and degrading, 2.4 - Sex/sexuality/nudity and 2.6 - Health and Safety.

2.Youfoodz - 0423/17 - TV - Free to air
A young boy impersonating Gordon Ramsay promotes the Youfoodz range, saying the word 'forkin' twice in the advertisement.
Upheld
No. of complaints: 304
Issues of concern: 2.5 - language

3.Youfoodz - 0466/17 - TV - Free to air
A modified version of the Youfoodz advertisement where the 'forkin' has been beeped out.
Upheld
No. of complaints: 232
Issues of concern: 2.5 - language

4.Sportsbet - 0234/17 - TV - Free to air
The advertisement featured (prominently) Olympian and convicted drug cheat Ben Johnson (1988 games) talking about the "performance enhanced" app and included the line "puts the 'roid' in Android".
Upheld
No. of complaints: 202
Issues of concern: 2.6 - Health and Safety

5.Neds - 0461/17 - TV - Free to air
A man receives a telemarketing call and tells his partner that it is the office and he needs to take the call. He then moves to another room and asks the telemarketer to repeat their pitch while he uses the Ned's app on his mobile phone.
Dismissed
No. of complaints: 186
Issues of concern: Wagering Code - 2.8 Excess participation

6.Meat & Livestock Australia - 0406/17 - TV - Free to air
Various religious/mythical leaders/Gods/characters seated around a table enjoying a meal together. The figures include Thor, Aphrodite, Jesus, Moses, Buddha and Ganesha.
Dismissed
No. of complaints: 144
Issues of concern: 2.1 Discrimination and Vilification

7.Neds - 0459/17 - TV - Free to air
A client follows up on the lack of progress of work on a house construction site with the site supervisor. The tradesmen on site comment that they are waiting for work to be finished on site by other tradesmen while using their phones.
Upheld
No. of complaints: 139
Issue of concern: Wagering Code - 2.8 Excess participation

8.Industry Super Fund - 0156/17 - TV - Free to air
A girl and her mother locking hens in a hen house before going in to their own home. We then see some foxes watching the hen house before a shadowy figure opens the door to let the foxes in.
Dismissed
No. of complaints: 126
Issue of concern: 2.3 Violence

9.AAMI - 0064/17 - TV - Free to air
A family who have broken down on a rural dirt road standing by their caravan with the father talking on their phone describing their location, noticing a sign which says 'ship creek'.
Dismissed
No. of complaints: 96
Issue of concern: 2.5 language

10. iSelect Pty Ltd - 0165/17 - TV - Free to air

A television advertisement which shows a couple in bed. The woman switches her light on and off, each time revealing a different partner.

Dismissed
No. of complaints: 72
Issue of concern: 2.1 Discrimination and Vilification and 2.4 Sex, Sexuality and Nudity

Dismissal means ads can continue to run, and unhappily my pet hate - Super Retail Group's unworthy jingle around BCF-ing fun lives on!

Peter Coleman

Pictured: Too forkin' far - Youfoodz' TVC channelling Gordon Ramsay is still on YouTube, outside the ASB's apparent jurisdiction