Audi ad yanked by UK government

[John Allred <jallred@rtimeinc.com>]

I thought it was funny that something finally stopped the Energizer Bunny
from "going and going".  I guess this incident shows one aspect of the
legislative and cultural differences between the UK and US.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/uk/newsid_149000/149664.stm

UK

             Spotlight on 'offensive' ads 

             Not upheld: Complaints about Gossard 

             Adverts that have offended Christians, alluded to drugs,
             and depicted toy rabbits being run over have been pulled.

             The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld
             complaints against a paper manufacturer which used
             images of Jesus Christ to help sell its wares. 

<...>

             A toy fluffy bunny being hit by an Audi car attracted 108
             complaints. 

             A spokesman from the ASA said: "Media-aware people
             may have made the connection with the Duracell advert. 

             "But many people were upset at the depiction of a hit and
             run involving a children's toy, and we decided to uphold
             that aspect of the complaint."

<...>

note:  legally, it is very difficult for the US government to pull an ad
because it ruffled some people's feathers (short of the ad being declared
obscene.)  But if a station or network continuously uses controversial
advertising, it might face difficulty when its broadcasting license is
renewed (broadcast spectrum is given away and regulated by the Federal
Communications Commission.)

John