Air New Zealand's 'Cougar' Contest Angers Some

Jan. 20, 2010— -- Sexy older women preying upon younger men isn't just a trend on TV. Apparently the travel industry loves to cougar craze too.

First there was the cougar cruise pairing older women with their younger "cubs." And now Air New Zealand is seeking cougars to send off to a rugby tournament.

But some are concerned the latest promotion goes too far.

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Air New Zealand is running a contest on its discount airfare site, Grabaseat, encouraging women 35-plus to send in photographs of themselves out on the town with their younger "cougar mates" -- often called "cubs" -- who must be at least 10 years younger. The women will then be entered into a drawing for a free flight and tickets to next month's Wellington Sevens rugby tournament.

In total, 60 tickets will be offered to older women "who prefer their meat rare," according to the company. The contest ended on Monday at midnight, and winners will be notified by Friday.

As part of the promotion the airline launched an online spoof documentary -- think Discovery Channel -- tracking a cougars who starve themselves during the day and then go "hunting large slabs of meat at night" by stalking young men at a bar.

The women, in their 30s, 40s and 50s, prey on men in their 20s, many who "pretend to be gay" to avoid them, says the voiceover.

But the women prevail.

"Eventually the young male is dragged off to the cougar's inner-city apartment where it will cruelly be made to listen to Enya or the Eurythmics," the commercial says.

Though tongue in cheek, some the ad has offended some. Kim McGregor, director of New Zealand's Rape Prevention Education, said that males who have been raped by women are complaining about the ad and are "very distressed that their situation is being laughed at."

She believes the ad is degrading and could encourage harmful behavior.