Complaints dismissed
Complaints about
a Home Office
responsible drinking ad
have been dismissed by the Advertising Standards Authority.
Eight complaints were made about the TV ad
- part of the government's Know Your Limits campaign - which showed a drunk teenager falling from scaffolding.
Some viewers said the ads were too graphic,
and some reported that they had seen someone fall from a height and the ads were an upsetting reminder of the incident.
Others said they thought the ad
was scheduled too early
and
their children were distressed by
it. While the
campaign is not permitted to be shown during children's programmes, the
ad is
being shown
in afternoon and early evening slots.
The ASA acknowledged that some viewers had been
distressed by the ad, but added: "
We noted the ad's aim was to educate the public on the harm caused by excessive drinking.
"We considered that adult viewers were likely to understand the seriousness of the message the ad presented and recognise the need to raise awareness of binge drinking.
"We concluded that the ad was unlikely to cause serious distress to an adult audience, who were unlikely to find the graphic nature of the ad disproportionate to the seriousness of the message".
The ASA also ruled that the campaign had been aired at an appropriate time.