Editorial: Vote with your feet on unfunny campervans

I'm all for clever advertising but there is a fine line between funny and taking things too far.

I think the Chief Censor has made the right decision in ruling three slogans on Wicked Campers to be R16 and classifying them as "objectionable publications".

Further rulings are expected to come from the Chief Censor.

The vans affected by the ban are those carrying slogans which linked drug use to children. One carried an image of Snow White using what appeared to be a crack cocaine pipe while another featured cartoon characters Scooby Doo and Shaggy smoking marijuana. The third van to have its slogan banned showed a Dr Seuss character also talking about smoking marijuana.

Imagine trying to explain to your kids what Snow White's pipe is for. Kids shouldn't know what crack is, let alone be seeing images which promote its use.

We have a big enough drug problem in our country as it is; we shouldn't be encouraging it or glamorising its use. Other slogans, while not depicting criminal activity, are plain offensive and morally wrong. They promote lewd sexual acts and the objectification of women.

It worries me there are people who are okay with such comments and that makes me concerned for future generations who are having this stuff thrust in front of them from such a young age. Is it any wonder that our young people have unrealistic expectations of relationships and intimacy?

Wicked Campers can be slapped with a fine of up to $200,000 if they are seen out in public. I hope the police do take it seriously and follow through with the fine. It's not ideal that it is down to our police force. They have far more important and urgent duties to carry out. We, as the public, need to do our part to report any sightings. The other concern I have is that the banned slogans could easily be replaced with new and equally offensive ones which are then going to have to go through the same process. It may again come down to the public to take action. Hopefully, people will think twice before giving the company their business. I certainly won't be hiring a camper from them.