AG Barr, the soft drinks manufacturer, has been cleared by the
Advertising Standards Authority of demeaning breastfeeding and
motherhood in a poster which features a nipple-sucking baby and the
caption, ’Mmmmm, Mum’s been at the Irn-Bru again’.
Thirty-four people complained to the ASA that the ad, produced by the
Leith Agency, was offensive. But the advertising watchdog this week
threw out the objections, saying that the image would be seen as
humorous by most people.
However, the ASA has carpeted the Department of Health for publishing
misleading wage figures in advertising to recruit nurses for the
hard-pressed NHS.
The Saatchi & Saatchi-produced national press campaign claimed that up
to 75 per cent of London nurses and two-thirds of all qualified nurses
would earn more than pounds 20,000 after an upcoming pay rise.
The ASA has warned the Department not to repeat the claim after being
told that the proportions included part-time nurses whose earnings had
been rounded up to the full-time equivalent.
Meanwhile, Peugeot has withdrawn national press advertising for its 206
Gti model after complaints by road safety lobbyists and a rival
manufacturer that, by carrying the line, ’Now you see it. Now you
don’t’, it was an irresponsible encouragement to speed.
Nissan, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and the
Cambridge Cycling ±±¾©Èü³µpk10 objected to the ads. One ad featured the
splash from a roadside puddle frozen in mid-air but with no car to be
seen.
The ASA has cleared Hyundai of similar charges relating to a Leagas
Delaney poster for the F2 Coupe Evolution which showed a car traveling
on a country road against a blurred background. It carries the caption,
’Get your kicks on the A796’. Hyundai argued that the ad was intended
only to emphasise the enjoyment of driving the car.
The ASA has also backed Birds Eye Wall’s after complaints of offensive
and intimidating advertising on a poster for Golden Chiplets.
The poster, produced by Ammirati Puris Lintas, carried the message:
’Boredom breaker. Try to imagine the person nearest this poster naked.’
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