Advertising should be important to any organisation. For charities the most likely reason to advertise is to fundraise or raise awareness but sometimes adverts get you more notice than you originally bargained for. This weekend, when advertisers are reported to be spending $5 million for 30 second TV spots during the NFL Super Bowl, TFN has picked five of the most controversial charity campaigns.
1. Royal British Legion: Sainsbury’s Christmas 2014
The Royal British Legion became embroiled in fury over supermarket Sainsbury’s 2014 Christmas advert. Hundreds of complaints were made to the advertising watchdog over the World War I inspired 3 minutes 40 seconds long epic which viewers claimed was distasteful as it used imagery from the war for commercial gain. The charity and the supermarket hit back saying it remembered the fallen and marked a 20 year association with one and another.
2. PETA: Ambulance adverts
Animal rights group People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wanted to plaster Scotland’s ambulances with pictures of a saucy nurse proclaiming vegans are thinner than meat eaters. The group made the proposal last year in response to reports that the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) had to buy expensive new equipment in order to accommodate larger patients. Scottish Ambulance Service refused PETA’s offer.
3. Save the Children: Most Shocking Second A Day
This advert has been viewed a staggering 54.5 million times. It harrowingly shows what it would be like for a young girl if war like the Syrian conflict were to happen in the UK and urged people to save Syria’s children. Despite drawing some criticism for being so hard-hitting the advert was widely praised.
4. RNIB #seetheneed campaign
This 30-second clip was banned by Facebook for being too negative. The video, which features a women becoming tearful as a voiceover explains that she has just been told she will lose her sight, has been viewed over 100,000 times on the charity’s YouTube channel but Facebook said its users only like “neutral or positive” messages.
5. Crimestoppers: Break Your Silence
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) banned this poster advert by Crimestoppers. ASA deemed it likely to cause distress, particularly to children, and was therefore inappropriate for outdoor display. The charity was told the advert could not appear again and to ensure their marketing did not cause undue distress in future.
