Advertisment
A television advertisement for Its4women.ie featured several women in various locations, such as at the gym, teaching a ballet class, at football training and as a DJ in a nightclub.
FVO: “Time, it’s a gift. When it’s gone it’s gone so don’t live your life on hold. It’s time to own it.
It’s4women.ie offer great value car insurance for women with drive. It’s always on hand, it’s always online. You get the cover you need day or night and the rest of the time is your own. On web, on demand, on the go. It’s time to own it. Its4women.ie Online car insurance for women.”
Text on screen:
MCL Insurance Services Ltd trading as its4women.ie is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority of the United Kingdom and is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland for conduct of business rules.
Its4women.ie
Online car insurance for women
#TimeToOwnIt
Complaint
Two complainants objected to the advertising on the grounds that it was sexist as it was specifically targeting women.
One complainant considered that the advertising was suggesting that men would not be insured and he also considered that the advertisement was suggesting that females were better drivers than men. He referred to Article 5 of the Gender Directive (2004/113/EC) which provides that the use of gender as a factor when calculating premiums and other benefits in respect of insurance should not result in differences in premiums or benefits to an individual.
Response
The advertiser stated that the its4women car insurance product had features and benefits tailored for women such as break-down assist, a courtesy car and handbag cover. Their brand advertisements were produced to convey the sense that the product had been created with the needs of women in mind, however, all product features and benefits were equally extended and offered to male policy holders.
They stated that men were insured by its4women.ie as both first and second named drivers and that this was widely understood by the customer-base through the use of the gender selection tool available in the first section of the quote request form online.
They stated that there was no reference or statement made within the advertising or on any of their marketing collateral that males were excluded from insurance policies supplied by its4women.ie.
In regards to the complaint that the advertisement suggests females are safer drivers, they stated that there was no suggestion or reference to anything that would suggest females were safer drivers than males in any part of the script or in any visual imagery used within the advertising. They said that the its4women.ie brand was fully aware of, and understands, the EU Gender Directive and prices their policies in accordance and in compliance with this.
Conclusion
Complaints not upheld.
The Complaints Committee considered the detail of the complaints and the advertisers’ response. The Committee examined the advertising and while they noted that the advertiser had chosen to target a particular sector of the market, in this case women and men were able to purchase insurance with the advertiser. The Committee did not consider that there was any suggestion in the advertisement that women were safer drivers or that men were being excluded from the insurance cover. In the circumstances the Committee did not consider that the advertising was in breach of the Code.
Action Required No further action required.
