Last week while at the Melbourne versus North Melbourne game, an attractive, breastily enhanced, female type person of the contradictory gender bounced down the steps toting an armload of drinks.
Almost in unison, a chorus of cheeky chappies yelled out, "Five Cougars, thanks."
Considering the majority of those within earshot were hale-well-met gents, the funny fellas' gelastic ribaldry received a hearty chuckle. From the ladies too, I might add.
Not for much longer it appears, marvy mega minister, Mary Delahunty's poised to get things sorted.
Time, gents, please
FEMALE bar staff have had enough of hearing their customers ask for "five Cougars, thanks".
Bartenders said leering drunks were sexually harassing them by making the flirtatious request up to 50 times a night.
But they don't want the bourbon -- they are just mimicking a TV ad in which a man is dazzled by a busty blonde in a tight Cougar T-shirt into asking for five Cougars.
The Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union said it received a steady stream of complaints every time the ad was shown.
Bar worker Beck May said some men already thought female bar staff were fair game for sexual innuendo and the ad made the situation worse.
"We are trapped in the bar with these hungry eyes drooling over us, each pot making us more attractive," she said.
"You have to put a big smile on your face. It does get horrible, you are trapped on this little catwalk. You just want to throw a Cougar at them."
Another bar worker said she had resorted to serving the drunks five Cougars then forcing them to pay.
LHMU spokeswoman Jane Farrell said the image of hospitality workers had moved away from the "barmaid" but the Cougar ads were dragging it backwards.
The union registered two written complaints with the Advertising Standards Bureau but received no response.
ASB chairman Robert Koltai said the organisation had received 121 complaints about the Cougar ads. The Advertising Standards Board reviewed the ads and deemed it reasonable.
During the review the advertiser explained the ad was "intentionally light-hearted".
But Ms Farrell said the board was out of touch.
Women's Affairs Minister Mary Delahunty said people being harassed should complain to Job Watch or the Equal Opportunity Commission.
More likely, it's already too late and the fix is in. This saying's gonna stick no matter what kind of social engineering ... err ... overdue corrective action is undertaken.
Advertising company -- mission accomplished.
UPDATE. Advertisers think so too.
Advertising redefines its creative edge
The Age asked eight movers and shakers in the Melbourne advertising industry what their favourite moments were in 2003 and what we can look forward to in 2004.
QUESTION: What was your favourite advertising campaign of the year?
David Chalke: To my eye, the best ads were the ones that took a fresh look at life, didn't take themselves seriously and blew a raspberry at the purse-lipped and politically correct. My favourites were the Hahn Light "bomb in the spa" ad, the "Five Cougars, thanks" and the Qantas-Wallabies "No, the other left" campaigns.
John Sintras: Heineken's work for the Rugby World Cup - witty and well crafted.
Andrew Scott: That's easy - the Hahn Light ad where the guy jumps into the spa. It's so simple and reflects exactly how the target audience thinks and feels. That is, both men and women.
Russell Howcroft: Apart from our own stuff, my favourite campaigns were the Cougar Bourbon "Five Cougars, thanks" and the Carlton Stirling "beer-lovers light".
Harold Mitchell: The TXU ads for both gas and electricity.
Ben Welsh: The best individual commercial this year would have to be the Tooheys "Quest" spot, which features a tongue on a mission to find a bottle of Tooheys. It won Gold at this year's award advertising ceremony and, by all accounts, is earning gold at the tills.