Sexist advertisements marketing Chivas Regal whiskey are the latest to be targeted by an anti-sexist graffiti campaign. Chivas says it is lapping up the “extra publicity”.

The advertisement features a woman, minus her head, in tight clothing. The angled shot is of her thighs and cleavage as she steps out of a sports car. The slogan Chivas uses is, “Yes, God is a man”.

More than 300 of these sexist images have been plastered around Sydney on billboards, buses, taxis and many other locations. Many have been covered in graffiti such as: “Man is a dog” and “When you know how to sell piss with sexism”. Earlier this year similar advertisements by Windsor Smith and Chiko Rolls were covered in anti-sexist graffiti.

The Advertising Standards Board has received at least 50 complaints about the Chivas ad and it will decide on December 12 whether to withdraw the ads. Newspapers around Sydney have published numerous letters by outraged readers.

Chivas claims it is not discouraged by the complaints. It claims the outcry boosts its advertising publicity. Marketing experts say those who complain are simply playing into the hands of marketers. They say the controversial ads are designed to generate complaints and free publicity.

Windsor Smith were also pleased with the publicity generated from complaints, claiming that the free publicity was valued at around $4 million. However, following an anti-sexist campaign, the billboard company Australian Posters eventually broke its contract with Windsor Smith and took the posters down.

According to Michelle Brear, an activist with Resistance, that proves that anti-sexist graffiti campaigns can have a positive impact.

“These companies are so full of bravado about their sexist marketing. So we'll have to remind them that fetishising parts of women's bodies and using sex to sell products is offensive. It's the advertising revenue that counts with these people, and they won't be too happy if the pressure is stepped up to force Chivas to scrap their expensive sexist campaigns.”

Resistance is encouraging feminists to step-up the campaign against such sexist advertising. To get involved contact Resistance.

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