As you’re probably aware, porn isn’t always accurate when it comes to depictions of real-life sex. In a new ad campaign, New Zealand has brought these fabrications of the forefront.
In the digital age of internet over-indulgence, many teenagers learn about how to do it from their journey through the forged world of porn.
The NZ advert, directed at inexperienced teens, touches upon issues with porn, online safety, sexual consent and the lack of censorship on the internet.
The brilliant commercial features a startled mother in PJs opening her door to a couple of naked porn stars. Meanwhile, her son is going at it on his laptop to a porno he stumbled across of the same two actors having sex on screen.
The awkward scenario aims to ‘break the ice’ between parents and their kids, in talking about wrong from right in sex. No judgement. It also reinforces that what’s reenacted on the internet is a falsification of sex in real life. It is a movie, after all. The Guardian reports that 1/3 of the most-watched pornos depict non-consensual activities.
The porn stars explain that the boy has been accessing porn on “his laptop, iPad, PlayStation, his phone, your phone, smart TV, projector”. This urges parents to regulate their internet servers, when their kids are too young to be indulging in explicit online content.
The educational ad also voices the need for consent prior to sex, exploring how this necessity doesn’t happen in porn.
“We usually perform for adults but your son’s just a kid, he might not know how relationships actually work. We don’t even talk about consent, do we? We just get straight to it.“
The commercial idea was sparked from a report that revealed New Zealand’s youth are using the internet as their first point of reference to learn about sex. Statistics also show that everyone has been watching way more porn during the pandemic.
“Parents should feel confident when dealing with these issues… at the end of the day, they’re the best person to keep their child safe,” said Hilary Ngan Kee, a spokesperson for Motion Sickness, the advertising agency behind the NZ commercial.
“You don’t need to have all the answers, but supporting your child and giving that ‘adult’ guidance as they navigate the choppy waters of the online world will really make a difference.”
What we can take away from this advert is that the realities of sex are conveyed disproportionately in online porn videos. Addressing these untruths early is an important step for children in coming to a head with their sexuality. It’s important to know right from wrong early on, to make for bold decisions down the line, while also ensuring everyone stays safe in the given future.
Check out the ad above.
