Goodbye, boys... Eva Herzigova may have to cover up as the EU pulls the plug on 'sexist' TV commercials
They have amused us, angered us and sometimes - just occasionally - they have actually made us buy something.
But now the end could be in sight for adverts which use sex to sell after they came under the unforgiving gaze of Brussels.
And, this being the EU, it is not simply raunchy advertising that is in danger. Any campaigns which are deemed sexist might have to go.
Sexist? Adverts like this Wonderbra one, famously featuring a scantily-clad Eva Herzigova, could be banned under new EU rules
That could mean an end to attractive women advertising perfume, housewives seen in the kitchen and men doing DIY.
The new rules on sexism and inequality in advertising come in a report by the EU's women's rights committee which has been adopted by the European Parliament.
It wants anything which promotes women as sex objects or reinforces gender stereotypes to be banned.
Such a move would send shockwaves through the industry.
It would probably prevent images of models - male and female - in a state of undress, even when they are advertising underwear.
So campaigns similar to 1994's promotion of the Playtex Wonderbra, which had supermodel Eva Herzigova posing in her underwear under the slogan 'Hello Boys!', would never see the light of day.
And last year's poster showing David Beckham in Armani underwear would not have stood a chance.
Stereotype? The rules could mean an end to images such as the Oxo mum or the bare-chested builder with a can of Diet Coke
Nor would other controversial images, such as the bare-chested builder with a can of Diet Coke in 1996 or the recent adverts for Lynx deodorant which were branded sexist for suggesting it attracts women.
Even famous adverts such as those featuring the Oxo family, with Lynda Bellingham as the housewife, might be deemed sexist.
The EU vote on the report is not legally binding but it could be used by governments to justify the biggest shake-up in the industry for years.
Swedish MEP Eva-Brit Svensson, who introduced the report to the European Parliament, wants governments in each country to use existing equality, sexism and discrimination laws to control advertising.
She also called for regulating bodies to monitor adverts and marketing and introduce a 'zero tolerance' policy against 'sexist insults or degrading images of women in the media'.
Her report is particularly concerned with 'extremely thin models' who are said to be poor role models for girls.
Miss Svensson said: 'Gender stereotyping in advertising straitjackets women, men, girls and boys by restricting individuals to predetermined and artificial roles that are often degrading, humiliating and dumbed down for both sexes.'
A spokesman for the Advertising Standards Authority said existing codes already barred adverts from being 'discriminatory or harmful when depicting men or women'.
He added: 'Although the ASA supports the overall objectives of the report . . . the approach suggested is inflexible and impractical.'
