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Cowra’s Ed Fagan is not afraid to announce his love for Dick Smith’s food on television, even in an ad deemed too offensive for prime time.
The local farmer features in a promotion for Dick Smith’s products found unsuitable to screen during 6pm news bulletins on Australia Day for its innuendo.
Mr Fagan’s delivers his line, “I love Dick”, as a tractor rolls by on his Cowra farm during the ad.
Wyangala’s Pam Marsh also appears, repeating the ‘Dick joke’ inside Windsor Farms Foods’ cannery as locals work behind her.
Dick Smith invites viewers to “chow down on my OzEnuts” peanut butter, and says Sam Kekovich’s lamb ads are “as wrong as a dead dingo’s donger”.
Mr Fagan said he found the ad funny and that publicity surrounding its double entendres has gained exposure for Australian-made products.
“I can’t see anything wrong with a bit of fun. At the end of the day Dick doesn’t have the ad budget of the big companies who spend millions on ads. He relies on exposure for marketing,” he said.
“He’s been very smart in that nine out of 10 ten people in Australia would know about Dick Smith’s food ad, but he hasn’t actually paid for ad space yet.
“What he’s aiming to do is get people to eat Australian products. Dick’s the only one educating the Australian public about where their food comes from.”
He said the ad’s classification shows Australia is a “nanny state”.
“A piss-take ad is not offensive. Anyone who finds it offensive should take a look at themselves and wonder if they’ve got a sense of humour, because it is funny.”
Dick Smith asked Ms Marsh to appear in the ad when meeting her as she left work at Windsor Farms.
She said the ad is no more offensive than movies and TV shows airing at prime time.
“I’ve seen a lot of different programs on prime time TV that I don’t think should be there as far as airing. So yes, I think the ad is suitable for prime time TV,” she said.
“I don’t think it’s meant to offend anybody. My grown up children think it was appropriate and amusing and didn’t worry at all that I was saying [that line].”
