Are car guards beggars or people making an honest living?

That was the question at the nub of a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about a Johannesburg billboard promoting a fencing product and asking: “What if someone helped to protect your car without begging for a tip?“

Patricia Cawley complained to the ASA‚ saying the Clearvu Fencing billboard was offensive as it suggested car guards were beggars‚ when in reality they were trying to make an honest living by performing a service.

Cochrane Steel Products‚ which makes the fencing‚ responded that car guards would attempt to get some benefit from drivers irrespective of whether or not a service was requested.

Payment of a fee or a tip was generally voluntary‚ said the company‚ but in many instances a car guard would use “subtle attempts of persuasion” to exact a sum of cash.

“The meaning of the word ‘beg’ in the dictionary is ‘to ask someone for something in an urgent or humble manner’. It is difficult to understand how the billboard can be offensive‚ or seen as derogatory in this context‚” the company said.

Its fencing systems were designed to enhance security on a permanent basis‚ and the juxtaposition with car guards was reasonable.

The ASA directorate said there were people who found car guards unnecessary or even irritating.

“While it appears that the respondent is capitalising on this irritation for commercial gain‚ doing so does not necessarily constitute offensive advertising.

“The advertisement does not encourage people to be rude to car guards‚ and does not belittle or dehumanise them to an extent that a reasonable person would think less of‚ or become abusive to car guards.”

Cawley’s complaint was dismissed.

— TMG Digital/Cape Town Bureau