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04/25/2008: "Scandinavian split on sexist ads"

Sweden has decided not to ban sexist advertising, saying it would risk undermining the country's cherished right to freedom of speech.

But the decision puts the country at odds with its Nordic neighbours. Norway and Denmark have strict limits on the use of such images for commercial gain.

In Norway, sexist advertising has been banned since 2003. The ban forms part of a much broader package of legal limits on advertising, protecting the depiction of religion, sexuality, race and gender.

In Norway, ads can use sexual images but they must be relevant.

[ It has been found that sexual imagery works well to get men, in particular, to spend unwisely because it triggers a primitive response in the brain. This manipulation is a dirty trick. ]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7365722.stm