The charity Barnardo's has had to withdraw its most recent advertising campaign, 'There are no silver spoons for children born into poverty', after a record 466 complaints were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (News, 20 November). Pictures in the adverts included a newborn baby with a cockroach or a syringe in its mouth. The ASA upheld complaints that the adverts were offensive, shocking and unduly distressing, especially to children. Barnardo's said it was 'saddened' by the ASA's decision. Andrew Nebel, Barnardo's director of marketing and communications, said, 'While the adverts may have shocked some sensibilities, they succeeded in highlighting the very serious issue of child poverty in the UK and challenging the blinkered views of those who claim it does not exist.'
The charity Barnardo's has had to withdraw its most recent advertising campaign, 'There are no silver spoons for children born into poverty', after a record 466 complaints were made to the Advertising Standards Authority (News, 20 November). Pictures in the adverts included a newborn baby with a cockroach or a syringe in its mouth. The ASA upheld complaints that the adverts were offensive, shocking and unduly distressing, especially to children. Barnardo's said it was 'saddened' by the ASA's decision. Andrew Nebel, Barnardo's director of marketing and communications, said, 'While the adverts may have shocked some sensibilities, they succeeded in highlighting the very serious issue of child poverty in the UK and challenging the blinkered views of those who claim it does not exist.'
