An advertising executive has fired the first salvo in a war to bring back decency and get rid of sleaze from the South African media and the ad industry. Duan Coetzee, MD and founder of Admakers, says he has been concerned for some time about what he believes is the decline in moral values across the country.
And, at the risk of sounding like an arch-conservative, he's decided to do something about it. He's in the process of putting together a website where "like-minded people" can register their disgust or complain about media content or ads which offend them, or which they believe will further the slide into degeneracy.
"How is it," Coetzee asks, "that we can live in the country with the highest number of Aids patients in the world, and yet our media and ad industry seem to encourage a sexual binge?"
He goes on: "Pick up any of the glossy magazines and it hits you smack in the face: 'How to give the perfect blowjob', 'Why men like threesomes' and 'Girls take your toothbrush with you in case you get to spend the night'. What sort of message is that sending out?"
In a situation in which parents often abdicate their responsibility for educating their children about sex, "where else do children get the information other than from the media? They look at what's happening and think that's right, that's normal. That's why we have girls of nine, 10 or 11 becoming sexually active."
In addition to promoting sex at a younger age, the sort of content Coetzee would like censored "contributes directly to the fact that this country has one of the highest divorce rates in the world - I think it's one in two. That's certainly a symptom of a sick society."
Not only does this sort of media content encourage sexual activity among young people, with the attendant threat of HIV/Aids infection, but it also contributes to creating an atmosphere in which sex is seen by men as a right. And when they want to exercise that "right", you get rape, he says.
Strong words, but "someone needs to stand up and say these things".
"I am a big advocate of freedom, but freedom must have its boundaries. And, in this country, we don't seem to be concerned about the lack of boundaries."
Wonderful as this country's constitution is, he says, it also makes people believe they have the right to infringe the freedoms of others.
The media, as a key shaper of opinions and attitudes - and, therefore, morals - has a duty and responsibility to not promote such destructive ways, he believes. The ad industry is just as guilty and its guilt weighs heavy, because it plays an equally important role in shaping society, says Coetzee. He decries the "descent into sleaze" that seems to characterise many ads.
He cites the VW Golf GTI ad and the Clairol Herbal Essences shampoo ad (in which a woman has an "orgasm" in an aircraft toilet because the product is so wonderful) as just some examples.
He also lashes out at ad agencies who accept "blood money" from advertisers like tobacco companies. "This product, used as directed, will kill one out of every two people who use it - and those who market it, especially to young people, have blood on their hands."
His company, he says, will not do business with the sort of clients whose business he regards as morally reprehensible, or for casinos, which, says Coetzee, impoverish people.
"I might not be popular for saying these things, but I know a lot of people out there agree with me, they're just too afraid to speak out. But we must speak out, because if we don't we will destroy our society."
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