Charity ads complained about
Save the Children and Sainsbury's British Legion TV adverts were among the 10 most complained-about last year
The list, published today by the Advertising Standards Authority, shows that the Christmas advert from the supermarket chain Sainsbury’s, run in association with the Royal British Legion, was the fourth most complained-about advert last year, while a Save the Children advert, featuring a woman giving birth and in which the baby initially appears to have died, was in fifth place.
Complainants said that the Sainsbury’s advert, which featured a story based on the 1914 Christmas truce during the First World War, was offensive because it was being used to advertise a supermarket.
The 823 complaints about the advert were rejected at the initial stage by the ASA after initial inquiries and without the need for a formal investigation.
The ASA received 614 complaints about the Save the Children advert, which were rejected by the regulator after a formal investigation.
The regulator found that although the content of the advert could be distressing for some, it was broadcast only after 9pm and included a warning at the start.
