The billboard

The Tool Shop’s “Imagine all three at once” billboard is the advertising equivalent of trolling Facebook. And where there’s a troll there’s someone taking the bait. In this case Queensland Government Minister for Women, Karen Struthers.

Struthers says the wording of the ad is an explicit sexual reference that degrades women. Explicit? Hardly. Sexual? Maybe if you imagined all three women in the ad partaking in some sort of sexy home renovation. But what about all three power tools at once? Well I guess that’s Ms Struther’s business.

The Honourable Karen Struthers, Minister for Community Services and Housing and Minister for Women

Meanwhile Melinda Tankard Reist says the Tool Shop is run by, you guessed it, tools. And it’s sexist. She’ll be commenting on the ad on Sunrise at 7:20AM tomorrow.

According to the Courier Mail, fewer than five people have so far complained to the Advertising Standards Bureau (ASB). In fact, a complaint to the ASB about a radio advertisement from the Tool Shop was recently dismissed. The gist of the ad or complaint I don’t know as a case report is unavailable.

For the time being the billboard stands tall on Beaudesert Road in Brisbane’s south.

As far as the Tool Shop is concerned their job here is done. For every 5 complaints there will be 25 admirers and perhaps 50 customers.