Advertising watchdog chops complaint that butcher's ad implied 'mother-in-law could be processed into meat'

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has dismissed a complaint about a popular butcher's advertisement that implied "your mother-in-law could be killed and processed into meat".

The radio advertisement highlights the variety of meats sold, including home-kill, farm-kill, wild game "and maybe your mother-in-law too".

The complaint to the ASA claimed that statement implied mothers-in-law could be killed and processed into meat.

"Making a 'joke' about killing women minimises and normalises violence against women, and is offensive," the complainant wrote.

In a statement, the ASA's Chair acknowledged the concerns made in the complaint and confirmed advertisers need to take care in their use of language and imagery.

She agreed the wording in the advertisement script "was in poor taste" and "played to the outdated stereotype that mothers-in-law are people that families want to get rid of".

But the Chair found the advertisement didn't cause serious or widespread offence as it would be recognised as an attempt at humour by most listeners.

The ruling said the Chair considered if the ad condones or shows violent or anti-social behaviour, but taking into account the context of the ad, the complaint didn't meet the threshold.

"Linking a butcher service with processing a body of a deceased mother-in-law was so ridiculous, consumers would not consider the outdated humour encouraged or condoned actual violence towards women."