Match.com TikTok ad banned for 'perpetuating negative gender stereotypes'

It first appeared on TikTok on June 30 earlier this year and featured clips of a couple in a home.

A female voiceover in the advert says: “Things that make him realise I’m a keeper. I will make him his protein shake after the gym.

“I always make sure he has a fresh towel and socks after his shower” and “I put the football on for him every evening."

It ends with the woman saying: “Find your keeper via Match. Go download the Match app today.”

A screenshot from the banned ad (ASA/PA) (Image: ASA/PA)

A viewer believed the advert was sexist and perpetuated negative gender stereotypes, and Match.com clarified it was part of a three-video storyline, where the man also carried out gestures for the woman.

Match.com did remove the advert and said it would have been better to show the couple carrying out gestures for each other so it would not be perceived as one-sided.

The fact that all of the gestures performed by the woman were domestic chores, was a point of contention for the ASA.

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In a statement, the regulator said: “Because the ad relied on the stereotype of a woman carrying out domestic chores in order to please her male partner, we considered that viewers would interpret the ad as reinforcing a negative gender stereotype.

“We further noted that the actions of the woman were one-sided and were not reciprocated by the man in the ad.

“We considered that the longevity of the gestures implied that they were not one-off acts of kindness but were indistinguishable from chores.

“Given that, and in the absence of any reciprocal gestures by the man, we considered that the woman was shown to prioritise her partner’s needs over her own.”

The ASA ruled that the advert must not appear again, adding: “We told Match.com to ensure that they did not portray sexist or negative gender stereotypes in future marketing communications.”