The ‘Silent assassin' press and poster ads, which broke last October, highlighted that Diabetes causes other conditions such as heart disease, stroke, amputations, kidney failure and blindness. They depicted diabetes as a shadowy figure ready to pounce on unsuspecting members of the public and featured the text ‘Beware the silent assassin'.
The ads attracted 16 complaints to the ASA, accusing the activity of being distressing, especially to children with the disease, and their parents. The ads were also condemned for being misleading, as they did not distinguish between the different types of diabetes.
The ASA investigation concluded that the ads were unlikely to cause fear or distress to people with the disease who led healthy lifestyles and were aware of the risks associated with the condition. It therefore found that the campaign was not in breach of advertising guidelines and no further action was necessary.
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