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WAG
‘pressure’ does the trick
Members
of the Waterside Action Group were appaled to hear an advert
for Matalan, which had as part of the script a puppy as a Christmas
present.
We alerted NCDL and Animal Aid to this advert and, along with
these organisations, made a formal complaint to the Radio Authority.
On examining the Script the Radio Authority felt that, under
terms of The Broadcasting Act 1990 Section 90(1)(a). That this
advert would have in part an item, which was offensive to public
feeling. Prior to this the Radio Advertising Clearance Centre
had stated to us that there was nothing wrong with the advert,
now accepted the decision of the Radio Authority and subsequently
withdrew the advert.
Included in a reply from the Radio Authority was a letter from
Sheila Borthwick, Managing Director of West FM in which she
states, "my opinion, for what it is worth, is that I tend
to agree with the complainant on the grounds that it is wrong
to give a puppy as a Christmas present. For the same reasons
he/she states in the narrative (referring to the complaint submitted
by WAG). "We, in the media business have spent years getting
this message through to the public, only to be foiled, when
we think we have succeeded! Any reference to puppies at Christmas,
no matter how well intentioned should not be encouraged in today’s
climate."
Thanks to WAG we have managed to make a large advertising agency
waken up to their responsibility even though they opposed it.
Thanks must also go to Animal Aid and the National Canine Defence
League for supporting us in this complaint.
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