7 ms·

UK supermarket TV advert on palm oil banned for being too political

42 points by cirrus-clouds 8y ago

7000skeletons 8y ago
See, I used to make jokes about the Fun Police in this country. But it seems a lot less funny, these days.
crtasm 8y ago
Streisand that orangutan! Headline sounded a little surprising until I learned it was a rebranded Greenpeace short.
- chrisseaton 8y ago
  > Streisand that orangutan! Nobody is trying to suppress the video, so talking about 'Streisand' doesn't make any sense. They're just saying it can't be shown as an advert on TV.
  - crtasm 8y ago
    Thanks for the correction.
callahad 8y ago
...I had no idea that political advertising was banned in the UK, but there you go. As an American, some of the quotes from this this BBC News piece five years ago are really interesting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22238582 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22238582 "Political adverts are - and have always been - banned on British TV and radio. That ban has wide support and has helped sustain the balance of views which is at the heart of British broadcasting - and ensures the political views broadcast into our homes are not determined by those with the deepest pockets." "The US experience shows the only people who would profit from TV attack ads are moneyed interest groups, TV networks and paid political consultants. The biggest loser would be democratic debate in Britain." I'm not quite sure how to evaluate those perspectives in light of more recent political events, but still a really fascinating difference in something I've taken for granted as an American.
- djhworld 8y ago
  Our broadcast news channels are regulated too, i.e. there are no "right wing" or "left wing" news channels/programmes here in the UK because of this regulation.
  - sbhn 8y ago
    Nigel ferage has his own radio show, and it’s very popular, and as you might have guessed, swayed towards reminding its listeners they are under imminent attack
    - djhworld 8y ago
      I'm not sure if radio is subject to the same regulations or not
      - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
        I am guessing it probably counts as entertainment not news and current affairs.
    - Doctor_Fegg 8y ago
      But it's on a station (LBC) that has strong centre/left presenters too, such as James O'Brien. The whole station is a bit too much like Outrage Central for me tbh, but at least it's fairly balanced outrage.
  - tonyedgecombe 8y ago
    It's a shame that hasn't been extended to the print media.
    - dazc 8y ago
      Or TV
  - gadders 8y ago
    Well, none that admit to a bias anyway.
PanMan 8y ago
How can this article not link to the video? I guess it's this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQXstNh45g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQXstNh45g
- NeedMoreTea 8y ago
  It does, at least for me in the UK. All 1m22s of it is embedded at the top. Yes, it's that one without the last 8s of Greenpeace call to action.
- alan_wade 8y ago
  Boy did that took a turn, I think I have PTSD now. Beautiful animation though, so well done.
- Robadob 8y ago
  The video is at the top of the article directly below the subheading.
- alistairSH 8y ago
  It's right there at the top? Is your ad blocker removing it?
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
black-tea 8y ago
People will tell you that consumers have the ability to cause change. They say that if we care enough we can just choose companies that are ethical. So this company has decided to be ethical and advertised the fact and it's offended people so it gets censored. A free market cannot exist without consumers having perfect knowledge. If we can't have perfect knowledge then we completely rely on the government to do the right thing.
- M2Ys4U 8y ago
  >it's offended people so it gets censored No, it's been "censored" because there's a prohibition on political advertising on TV. It's nothing to do with the _content_ of the political message.
  - black-tea 8y ago
    It's not political, though, is it? Unless you think the decision to use palm oil or not is solely down to the government. And if that's the case then why is the UK government positively supporting palm oil?
    - porphyrogene 8y ago
      If there is a palm oil-related item that is being voted on the ad may be thought to be supporting one side of that issue. It looks to me like it is advocating for education and conscientious consumption rather than a purely political message. This underscores the problem with the government being allowed to censor anything at all: it only works if the government is truly acting in the peoples' best interests. Historically that has tended not to be the case.
    - drcharris 8y ago
      From the article: "“The creative submitted to us is linked to another organisation who have not yet been able to demonstrate compliance in this area.” It's a Greenpeace video with the logo taken off. So it's political. It's not about the topic of palm oil - it's about how much an advert can take content directly from an organisation that is a political organisation. Without this, you open a massive backdoor into all TV advertising in the UK.
bsenftner 8y ago
Having political ads banning is quite interesting. Here in the USA I have always looked at the avalanche of political ads as simply a "gift to the media owners" who must be collecting billions every election season. I look at that revenue as why we don't have saner political advertising regulation - the advertising lobby won't allow it.
PunchTornado 8y ago
Banning political ads is good. But IMO this ad is not political at all. It is about climate change and the impact on the environment and animals. It is like maths and physics and not a matter of debate. It is not associated with any political party...
- radford-neal 8y ago
  That's the ticket! Define your opponents' views as "political", and hence not allowed, while your views are not political since they are just obviously true. And away you go! Of course, things that are actually "not a matter of debate" do not need to be debated. Nobody is interested in producing ads affirming that, say, water expands when it freezes. Your statement is self-refuting.
  - porphyrogene 8y ago
    There is evidence to support one side of issues such as climate change. Those issues are very different from issues such as abortion or marriage equality that require an examination of one's views of morality and the role of government. Your comment seems intentionally obtuse.
    - radford-neal 8y ago
      Yes, and there is evidence to support the other side of those issues too. Numerous, indeed most, political issues hinge on factual disputes, not just on moral judgements.
  - PunchTornado 8y ago
    climate change happens and nobody is producing ads affirming that. they are producing ads however to influence human behaviour to take into account that. it is like having an ad to enrol your kid into maths classes. climate change is not a matter of debate where the bbc should have deniers on shows. only our response to it is a matter of debate.
    - 8y ago
rabboRubble 8y ago
As an advertisement, the piece is brilliant. I now know that a) there is a company called Iceland (still don't know what they sell -- but I now know of it), b) they put together a compelling story, c) they are environmentally aware and care for cute animals, d) that I might not know how to pronounce orangutang. Does not matter that the ad won't air in the UK. Major free press is free. Their PR department and advertising agency needs a raise.
Brian_K_White 8y ago
What exactly distinguishes a political end from any other kind of end?

42 points by cirrus-clouds 8y ago

7000skeletons 8y ago

See, I used to make jokes about the Fun Police in this country. But it seems a lot less funny, these days.

crtasm 8y ago

Streisand that orangutan! Headline sounded a little surprising until I learned it was a rebranded Greenpeace short.

chrisseaton 8y ago
> Streisand that orangutan! Nobody is trying to suppress the video, so talking about 'Streisand' doesn't make any sense. They're just saying it can't be shown as an advert on TV.
- crtasm 8y ago
  Thanks for the correction.

callahad 8y ago

...I had no idea that political advertising was banned in the UK, but there you go. As an American, some of the quotes from this this BBC News piece five years ago are really interesting: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22238582 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-22238582 "Political adverts are - and have always been - banned on British TV and radio. That ban has wide support and has helped sustain the balance of views which is at the heart of British broadcasting - and ensures the political views broadcast into our homes are not determined by those with the deepest pockets." "The US experience shows the only people who would profit from TV attack ads are moneyed interest groups, TV networks and paid political consultants. The biggest loser would be democratic debate in Britain." I'm not quite sure how to evaluate those perspectives in light of more recent political events, but still a really fascinating difference in something I've taken for granted as an American.

djhworld 8y ago
Our broadcast news channels are regulated too, i.e. there are no "right wing" or "left wing" news channels/programmes here in the UK because of this regulation.
- sbhn 8y ago
  Nigel ferage has his own radio show, and it’s very popular, and as you might have guessed, swayed towards reminding its listeners they are under imminent attack
  - djhworld 8y ago
    I'm not sure if radio is subject to the same regulations or not
    - NeedMoreTea 8y ago
      I am guessing it probably counts as entertainment not news and current affairs.
  - Doctor_Fegg 8y ago
    But it's on a station (LBC) that has strong centre/left presenters too, such as James O'Brien. The whole station is a bit too much like Outrage Central for me tbh, but at least it's fairly balanced outrage.
- tonyedgecombe 8y ago
  It's a shame that hasn't been extended to the print media.
  - dazc 8y ago
    Or TV
- gadders 8y ago
  Well, none that admit to a bias anyway.

PanMan 8y ago

How can this article not link to the video? I guess it's this one? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQXstNh45g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQQXstNh45g

NeedMoreTea 8y ago
It does, at least for me in the UK. All 1m22s of it is embedded at the top. Yes, it's that one without the last 8s of Greenpeace call to action.
alan_wade 8y ago
Boy did that took a turn, I think I have PTSD now. Beautiful animation though, so well done.
Robadob 8y ago
The video is at the top of the article directly below the subheading.
alistairSH 8y ago
It's right there at the top? Is your ad blocker removing it?

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

black-tea 8y ago

People will tell you that consumers have the ability to cause change. They say that if we care enough we can just choose companies that are ethical. So this company has decided to be ethical and advertised the fact and it's offended people so it gets censored. A free market cannot exist without consumers having perfect knowledge. If we can't have perfect knowledge then we completely rely on the government to do the right thing.

M2Ys4U 8y ago
>it's offended people so it gets censored No, it's been "censored" because there's a prohibition on political advertising on TV. It's nothing to do with the _content_ of the political message.
- black-tea 8y ago
  It's not political, though, is it? Unless you think the decision to use palm oil or not is solely down to the government. And if that's the case then why is the UK government positively supporting palm oil?
  - porphyrogene 8y ago
    If there is a palm oil-related item that is being voted on the ad may be thought to be supporting one side of that issue. It looks to me like it is advocating for education and conscientious consumption rather than a purely political message. This underscores the problem with the government being allowed to censor anything at all: it only works if the government is truly acting in the peoples' best interests. Historically that has tended not to be the case.
  - drcharris 8y ago
    From the article: "“The creative submitted to us is linked to another organisation who have not yet been able to demonstrate compliance in this area.” It's a Greenpeace video with the logo taken off. So it's political. It's not about the topic of palm oil - it's about how much an advert can take content directly from an organisation that is a political organisation. Without this, you open a massive backdoor into all TV advertising in the UK.

bsenftner 8y ago

Having political ads banning is quite interesting. Here in the USA I have always looked at the avalanche of political ads as simply a "gift to the media owners" who must be collecting billions every election season. I look at that revenue as why we don't have saner political advertising regulation - the advertising lobby won't allow it.

PunchTornado 8y ago

Banning political ads is good. But IMO this ad is not political at all. It is about climate change and the impact on the environment and animals. It is like maths and physics and not a matter of debate. It is not associated with any political party...

radford-neal 8y ago
That's the ticket! Define your opponents' views as "political", and hence not allowed, while your views are not political since they are just obviously true. And away you go! Of course, things that are actually "not a matter of debate" do not need to be debated. Nobody is interested in producing ads affirming that, say, water expands when it freezes. Your statement is self-refuting.
- porphyrogene 8y ago
  There is evidence to support one side of issues such as climate change. Those issues are very different from issues such as abortion or marriage equality that require an examination of one's views of morality and the role of government. Your comment seems intentionally obtuse.
  - radford-neal 8y ago
    Yes, and there is evidence to support the other side of those issues too. Numerous, indeed most, political issues hinge on factual disputes, not just on moral judgements.
- PunchTornado 8y ago
  climate change happens and nobody is producing ads affirming that. they are producing ads however to influence human behaviour to take into account that. it is like having an ad to enrol your kid into maths classes. climate change is not a matter of debate where the bbc should have deniers on shows. only our response to it is a matter of debate.
  - 8y ago

rabboRubble 8y ago

As an advertisement, the piece is brilliant. I now know that a) there is a company called Iceland (still don't know what they sell -- but I now know of it), b) they put together a compelling story, c) they are environmentally aware and care for cute animals, d) that I might not know how to pronounce orangutang. Does not matter that the ad won't air in the UK. Major free press is free. Their PR department and advertising agency needs a raise.

Brian_K_White 8y ago

What exactly distinguishes a political end from any other kind of end?