ITC Raps The Sun For Irresponsible Advertising
The Independent Television Commission has upheld a series of complaints against a TV ad for the Sun, which featured a man inhaling helium from a party balloon.
The watchdog received a total of 17 complaints about the ad, which was promoting the paper’s two for one ticket offer at Alton Towers.
Complainants claimed that inhaling helium was dangerous and were concerned that the ad could cause serious harm if copied.
The ITC suspended the ad despite receiving assurances from its creators, TBWA, that the practices it depicted were safe.
In its defence TBWA argued that inhaling helium from balloons was not dangerous, as asphyxiation only occurs when the brain is starved of oxygen. It pointed out that the helium used to fill party balloons contained oxygen and was therefore perfectly safe to inhale.
However, the ITC considered that there was sufficient evidence to show that inhaling helium gas is a potentially dangerous practice and concluded that the advert should not be allowed back on the airwaves.
Earlier this year the ITC dismissed complaints against an ad for Walkers baked bean flavour crisps, despite claims that the ad constituted “a bad taste portrayal of flatulence” (see Walkers Crisps Escape ITC Censure)
ITC: 0207 306 7743 www.itc.org.uk
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