The festive season is traditionally a time of national culinary overindulgence but eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that this year’s crop of big-budget Christmas TV ads have been decidedly lean and sugar-free.
And mostly dreadful. The only vaguely amusing one was Argos' two mascots kidnapping a guy who thought 'Argos is just for toys'...
From Tesco and Waitrose to Marks & Spencer and Asda, the UK’s biggest exponents of extravagant festive food marketing have put their Christmas ads on a diet to comply with new regulations banning junk food products from appearing in TV ads before 9pm.
Regulations that don't exist yet, but of course big business is cravenly bending the knee before it has to:
The UK advertising watchdog will officially start cracking down on ads featuring junk food on TV – and in paid online advertising at any time of day – from 5 January. But the UK advertising industry voluntarily chose to start adhering to the new rules from October, making this TV’s first-ever low-fat, low-sugar and low-salt Christmas.
Can't really say I noticed since it mostly seems to affect things I don't eat, like gravy:
Quirks under the regulations rule out showing gravy on the traditional Christmas dinner’s roasted meat centrepiece in festive ads. However, a “marinade, glaze, dressing, seasoning rub or similar accompaniment” will keep the advertising watchdog away, according to the government’s new rules.
It's 'strategic' to surrender before you are forced to?
“Advertisers are having to be very strategic,” said Richard Exon, the co-founder of the ad agency Joint. “There is an upside for creativity here. ”
“Are we ready? Yes,” said an executive at one big food retailer. “But it is far too complex. There is going to be a long period where the advertising watchdog has to work through complaints from those looking out for products that may break the rules.”
Because there will be complaints, albeit not geniune ones, all from the army of censorious prodnoses that the government encourage with legislation like this. Because they cannot be appeased and it's folly to ever try:
“This government pledged to raise the healthiest generation of children ever and yet they’ve ignored the evidence, instead pursuing a policy that essentially enables business as usual,” said Fran Bernhardt of the campaign group Sustain. “Industry will be celebrating another ruined health policy, while the UK’s children have been let down once again.”
Ah, these bastards again... 🙄
“Advertising agencies are problem-solvers,” said Paul Bainsfair, the director general of the trade body the Institute of Practitioners in Advertising. “They have just had to adapt and use their ingenuity to find solutions for their clients – something they have always been so good at.”
Let's hope they devote maximum effort to it, because it will upset all the right sort of people if they do...
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