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Spain's Institute for Women's Affairs is to set up a commission to monitor the portrayal of women in advertising, writes the newspaper El Mundo.

The commission, the Institute's head, Rosa Peris, tells the paper, will be made up of advertisers, agencies and consumer associations. Its announcment follows the release of figures by the country's 'Sexist Advertising Observatory', which show that 171 complaints were made by members of the public in 2004.

Ron Barceló - 'that obscure object of desire'

  
Although this figure is slightly lower than that recorded during 2003, when 177 complaints were made, 14 companies were asked to withdraw or change their advertising during the year.

The Comission will come into operation in the first half of 2006, El Mundo says, and will release statements saying when it considers advertising unacceptable, although it has no formal regulatory capacity.

According to the sexist advertising observatory, campaigns for Axe men's care, Siemens household appliances, the soft drink Kas Naranja and dark rum brand Don Barceló (shown) were the most complained about.

Motives prompting complaints included use of women's bodies as the main focus of the advertising. Other campaigns were said to be employing 'porno chic' to promote products. Brands accused of this included Sisley, which ran a print ad showing a girl lying on the floor, exposing her underwear and about to be gored by a bull. Another campaign, for the Shark soft drink brand, showed a young woman exhibiting signs of violence alongside the slogan 'Saca la bestia' ('Let the beast inside of you out').

Other complaints relted to the 'perpetuation of stereotypical roles', El Mundo says, depiction of the division of paid work by gender, games that differentiated between boys and girls and the showing of women who were 'out of control'.

Those most likely to complain are between 26 and 45 years old, single, with higher educational level and in paid work. 13% of complaints about sexist advertising were received from men, the paper adds.

To read a longer version of this story for yourself, in Spanish, click on the link below (left) to see it on the El Mundo website. Alternatively, click on the link below (right) to visit the Don Barceló site.