Editorial: Wicked slogans cross the line

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

In my opinion, many of the designs and slogans on the side of Wicked Campers have overstepped that line.

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, with the current three being those issues first raised.

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 showed a Dr Seuss character also talking about smoking marijuana.

You wouldn't get away with that sort of content on primetime TV or in a newspaper, so why should vehicles be any different when they are even more visible?

You can't stop your children from seeing the vans but you can control what they watch and read more carefully. And of course they are going to have an interest in pictures of Snow White, Scooby Doo or Doctor Seuss.

Imagine trying to explain to your kids what the pipe Snow White is holding is for.

Kids shouldn't know what crack is, let alone be seeing images which promote its use.

Other slogans, while not depicting criminal activity, are plain offensive and morally wrong. They are bad enough that I don't want to repeat them here. They promote lewd sexual acts and the objectification of women.

Again, not stuff we should be encouraging and not something I want to be confronted with as I'm going about my day.

The ban is certainly a step in the right direction.

Wicked Campers can be slapped with a fine of up to $200,000 if they are seen out in public.

It's not ideal that it is down to our police force. They have far more important and urgent duties to carry out and I fear it might be bumped down their list of priorities.

We, as the public, need to do our part to report any sightings.

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.