The Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) has ruled against a digital billboard advertisement by OpenSky Recycling Services, upholding a consumer complaint that the ad perpetuates negative gender stereotypes.
The controversial line in question—“Is your wife recycling? If not, ask her nicely.”—was found to be both sexist and offensive under the ARB’s Code of Advertising Practice.
Casual sexism
The Directorate concluded that the ad reinforces outdated and harmful notions that housework and recycling fall solely under women’s responsibilities, effectively erasing men from the equation and casting them in the role of household authorities. It also portrays women as needing to be handled delicately, a notion the ARB describes as “casual sexism.”
The ARB said the ad positions the man as the authority in the household, responsible for persuading his wife to take action — a dated and inappropriate notion in today’s society. Secondly, it overlooks the existence of single women and professional women who may walk past the billboard — women who share household responsibilities with their partners, delegate them entirely, or handle them independently without needing a man’s input or encouragement.
While OpenSky is not a member of the ARB and is therefore not bound by its rulings, the Board may issue findings to guide its members. In this case, members were instructed not to accept or run advertising featuring the contested phrase in future campaigns.
Light-hearted
OpenSky defended its billboard as “light-hearted” and “tongue-in-cheek,” claiming it was based on observed community dynamics where women often lead household recycling efforts. The ARB acknowledged the advertiser’s intention and market research but maintained that targeting men with a call to “ask her nicely” entrenched patriarchal assumptions and marginalised professional, single, or decision-making women.
“Essentially, the Advertisement suggests that women are homemakers primarily, and that they do not necessarily make decisions unless urged to by their husbands,” the Directorate stated, adding that this portrayal is neither reasonable nor justifiable in a democratic society.
