This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/health/7974875.stm
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Anti-smoking ad 'scares children' | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A government advert aimed at scaring parents into giving up smoking upset children and broke several rules, the Advertising Standards Authority says. | A government advert aimed at scaring parents into giving up smoking upset children and broke several rules, the Advertising Standards Authority says. |
| The independent regulator has ruled that the "I'm not scared" TV advert should not now be shown before 7.30pm. | |
| It features a young girl declaring she is not afraid of spiders, clowns or bullies, but she is afraid of her mother - a smoker - dying. | It features a young girl declaring she is not afraid of spiders, clowns or bullies, but she is afraid of her mother - a smoker - dying. |
| The ASA said it had received 51 complaints about the TV advert. | The ASA said it had received 51 complaints about the TV advert. |
| About half of these said the advert, which was launched at the end of October, had distressed their children. | About half of these said the advert, which was launched at the end of October, had distressed their children. |
| There were an additional 13 complaints about the radio version, which featured the same child's voice. | There were an additional 13 complaints about the radio version, which featured the same child's voice. |
| The decision comes as the ASA said a Volkswagen TV advert showing an engineer fighting with replicas of himself was shocking, offensive and unsuitable for children. | |
| Listening alone | Listening alone |
| The ASA said it recognised the "serious and worthwhile" nature of an advert designed to make parents consider the emotional impact of smoking on their children. | The ASA said it recognised the "serious and worthwhile" nature of an advert designed to make parents consider the emotional impact of smoking on their children. |
| The 'Scared' campaign was very effective at targeting our core, harder to reach, smoking audience - NHS smoking services were contacted by three times more people than expected Department of Health VW ad 'shocking' to children | The 'Scared' campaign was very effective at targeting our core, harder to reach, smoking audience - NHS smoking services were contacted by three times more people than expected Department of Health VW ad 'shocking' to children |
| But "we considered that hearing an otherwise fearless peer say she was scared her mum might die because she smoked could frighten and distress young children, particularly if they had misunderstood that the risk of death was imminent. | But "we considered that hearing an otherwise fearless peer say she was scared her mum might die because she smoked could frighten and distress young children, particularly if they had misunderstood that the risk of death was imminent. |
| "We considered that the ad could cause distress to children if they were watching TV alone, without their parents or family to explain the ad to them. | "We considered that the ad could cause distress to children if they were watching TV alone, without their parents or family to explain the ad to them. |
| "We recognised the importance of the ad reaching its target audience - adult smokers who were parents. But we judged it necessary to balance targeting that audience with avoiding distress to young children." | "We recognised the importance of the ad reaching its target audience - adult smokers who were parents. But we judged it necessary to balance targeting that audience with avoiding distress to young children." |
| It ruled the advert had therefore breached four child-related regulations and should not be broadcast before 7.30pm, when any child watching TV was likely to be in the company of his or her parents. | |
| But it did not uphold any complaints about the radio advert, judging that any child listening would likely be in the company of family - over breakfast or during the school run in the car. | But it did not uphold any complaints about the radio advert, judging that any child listening would likely be in the company of family - over breakfast or during the school run in the car. |
| A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "Our advertising is not meant to shock but to make adult smokers think about their smoking behaviour and the effect it has on their loved ones. | A spokesperson for the Department of Health said: "Our advertising is not meant to shock but to make adult smokers think about their smoking behaviour and the effect it has on their loved ones. |
| "The 'Scared' campaign was very effective at targeting our core, harder to reach, smoking audience - NHS smoking services were contacted by three times more people than expected." | "The 'Scared' campaign was very effective at targeting our core, harder to reach, smoking audience - NHS smoking services were contacted by three times more people than expected." |
| While numbers are dropping, more than a fifth of UK adults still smoke. | While numbers are dropping, more than a fifth of UK adults still smoke. |