Preliminary statistics show that around 5600 complaints about advertisements were received in 2014 by the Advertising Standards Bureau.
The most complained about ads from this year were:
1. 0307/14 Ashley Madison – Avid Life
TV ad featuring married men singing ‘I’m looking for someone other than my wife’.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 481
2. 0277/14 My Plates
TV ad featuring a man repeatedly passing wind in a car.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 250
3. 0178/14 Menulog
TV ad featuring a Da Vinci character painting the last supper.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 228
4. 0276/14 My Plates
TV ad featuring a man picking his nose and wiping it on a car door.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 206
5. 0069/14 Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Ltd
TV ad highlighting embarrassing menstrual experiences.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 185
6. 0201/14 Ultra Tune Australia
TV ad featuring two women wearing rubber visiting a tyre store.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 181
7. 0281/14 My Plates
TV ad featuring a man picking his nose and wiping it on a car door, his finger is pixelated.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 180
8. 0438/14 Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses
Billboard pictures a horse lying on its side and the words ‘Is the party really worth it?’
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 152
9. 0087/14 Johnson & Johnson Pacific Pty Ltd
TV ad highlighting different embarrassing menstrual experiences.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 146
10. 0014/14 Meat and Livestock Australia
TV ad featuring Sam Kekovich promoting the consumption of lamb on Australia Day.
Dismissed. Number of complaints: 80
For more information, and a look at the most complained about ads of all time take a look at the media release.