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Advertisement for »Hero Wars«: The committee took offense at another advertising image

Photo: Hero Wars Web

For decades, computer games were considered a male domain, and the products were often advertised in a correspondingly clichéd and problematic way. But although many manufacturers have long since opened up girls and women as a target group, there are still some sexist role models in advertising. The German Advertising Council has now issued public reprimands to two game manufacturers because their advertising was sexist and even glorifying violence.

The manufacturer Nexters Global, based in Cyprus, which publishes the game »Hero Wars«, among other things, is affected. The advertising watchdogs took offense at an advertising campaign that was distributed via platforms such as Facebook. It shows a scantily clad comic-style woman tied to a tower with chains. The muscle-bound hero is supposed to free her. "The depicted, helpless woman is depicted, dominated and exploited in a violent scenario to the extent that this staging serves the purpose of being able to depict the protagonist in a heroic context," according to a statement from the Advertising Council. This is contrary to the rules of conduct agreed upon by the advertising companies themselves.

Kick in the stomach

Another advertising campaign by Chinese game developer Betta Games shows a woman who probably catches her partner kissing another person, according to the advertising council. The man then kicks her in the stomach and throws her out of the room. "In the opinion of the Advertising Council, the animated spot gives the impression that the use of violence and dominance is acceptable," the panel said. The impression is reinforced by the fact that there is no classification of the scene: the use of violence has no consequences. Here, too, the industry body issued an official reprimand.

The Advertising Council also criticized three analogous campaigns. A flooring company from Bergkamen in North Rhine-Westphalia advertised its craftsman's work with the poster motif of a woman lying on the floor with a wide-open blouse. A car repair shop in Cologne covered its vehicles with the motif of a lying on her back, looking lasciviously into the camera and covered only with flowers. A motorcycle dealer from Rostock also showed the silhouette of a across the entire width of a truck and added a lewd slogan to it.

The reprimands do not have any direct consequences, but the Advertising Council relies on the insight of the criticized companies through public criticism. In its press release, the panel refers to an enforcement rate of 91 percent.

TMK