While some gay men worried that Westpac’s recent TV ad showing some camp customers was exploiting an offensive stereotype, the Ad Standards Board says it was fit for the screen.

The watchdogs at Mumbrella report: One complaint to the ASB said that the two moaning men “were being portrayed as gay men with horrible stereotypes that inaccurately portray gay people and is both inaccurate and offensive to gay men.”

Westpac had defended the ad, telling Same Same that the guys “simply represent people from the very broad and diverse community that makes up the Westpac customer base.

“As with all the adverts in this series, we chose to use humour to make a connection that really resonated with our customers and make the commercial both noticeable and memorable,” said Westpac’s acting marketing manager Nick Adams.

The Ad Standards Board has now OK’ed the TV spot: “The Board agreed that the men are represented in part in a stereotypically effeminate manner but they are also represented as business owners.

“The Board considered that the men are presented in a manner which, although somewhat stereotypical, focuses on their frustration as business owners and is not negative.”

The ad sparked fierce debate on Same Same, with some lambasting Westpac for playing into ‘over the top’ stereotypes, while others laughed along with it, recognising people like that in their own lives.

The controversial camp customers appear below.