Erin Brockovich forces NZ firm to drop sexist ad

WELLINGTON, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Renowned U.S. environment crusader Erin Brockovich has forced a New Zealand retailer to drop a controversial advertisement because of an insulting reference to women, local media reported on Friday.

Brockovich, the inspiration for an Oscar winning Hollywood blockbuster, was angered by an advertisement for appliance retailer Bond & Bond, which said: "Government says fridges are better younger. Just like women really."

She is currently fronting commercials for Bond and Bond's sister company, Noel Leeming, New Zealand's largest electronics retailer.

"I called Noel Leeming's parent company, which owns Bond & Bond, and expressed my outrage and my disappointment in them for running such an advertisement," she told The New Zealand Herald.

"I demanded its retraction and it agreed to do so."

The company was reported to have apologised for the advert, which it said was meant to be cheeky and irreverent.

Brockovich in the 1990s took on a California power company for polluting a residential area's water supply. Her role in the battle inspired the 2000 movie "Erin Brockovich" for which Julia Roberts won an Oscar as Best Actress in the title role.

In August, Brockovich gave her support to Australian anti-mine activists protesting about health problems allegedly caused by a nearby Alcoa bauxite refinery.