Cadbury has pulled a TV ad depicting an Easter egg hunt over concerns that it promotes irresponsible behaviour by depicting a grandfather hugging his visiting grandchildren.
The spot, "High and low", was created by VCCP and launched earlier this month. It is intended to turn the idea of an Easter egg hunt on its head by putting the focus on the joy of hiding the eggs – a sentiment in line with the message of previous ads for the brand from VCCP, including "Mum’s birthday" and "Fence".
However, due to the severity of the coronavirus outbreak, the UK government is recommending that all people practise social distancing, avoiding physical contact with all but immediate family members, and that people over the age of 70, who are particularly vulnerable to the virus, self-isolate and do not receive visitors.
We take our responsibility for marketing & advertising very seriously. Our TV ad was intended to invoke generosity & happiness in the run up to Easter. However,due to current govt guidance on social distancing, we recognise it's no longer appropriate to encourage close..1/2
— Cadbury UK (@CadburyUK)
After a series of Twitter users pointed out that what would otherwise have been a warm-hearted story promoted the wrong message in a time of crisis, Cadbury this afternoon responded: "We take our responsibility for marketing & advertising very seriously. Our TV ad was intended to invoke generosity & happiness in the run up to Easter.
"However, due to current govt guidance on social distancing, we recognise it's no longer appropriate to encourage close physical contact amongst families. For that reason, we've made the decision to replace our current Easter advert with spots that are mindful of the current climate. We're working to do this as soon as possible."
±±¾©Èü³µpk10 has contacted Cadbury to request details on how the ad will be replaced.
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