ABC has banned the word “poop” and derivatives (“pooping”) from a TV advertisement for nappies/diapers. According to the New York Times, the Huggies tag-line “the coolest you’ll look pooping your pants,” was changed to “when you gotta go, go in style.” Is the ridiculous blue liquid beloved of nappies and feminine hygiene products on the way out? Probably not, but it’s interesting that ad companies are daring to play with it. It is also interesting, I suppose, that other networks accepted the ad, and to see the boundaries of linguistic acceptability in flux. “Shit” is still impossible on federally funded radio but acceptable on independents. I was given special dispensation to say “shit” on BBC Radio 4 and forgot, to my eternal regret.
[to comments]
