Foster’s ‘Don’t lose your head’ ad campaign has provoked a barrage of complaints from TV viewers.

The Independent Television Commission (ITC) received more than 190 objections about the lager’s Bungee Whiz commercial where a jumper appears to have his head bitten off by a crocodile - the highest number for any alcoholic drink ad so far this year.

However, the watchdog dismissed the objections because it felt that consumers should be sufficiently “media literate to realise it was a joke”.

One of three executions in the ‘Don’t lose your head’ series, it was first screened last month to drive awareness of the beer’s new on-trade dispense system designed to maintain the head on a pint. The ad features camcorder footage of a fictitious character called Big Doug bungee jumping above a river. As his head enters the water a crocodile bites it off.

A spokesman for Scottish Courage said: “The ad is in keeping with the brand’s tradition of using visual humour.”

Topics