Find Madeleine cinema advert not banned
A cinema advert that received 23 complaints from angry parents has been cleared for showing by the Advertising Standards Authority. The Find Madeleine advert was showin in cinemas before the U-certificate Shrek The Third film, and some parents complained that it wasn't an appropriate advert to show young children.The advert was passed by the British Board of Film Classification with a U certificate before it was shown, and the Cinema Advertising Association said the advert was tasetful, sober and non-sensationalist.
A campaign gathered pace amid parents of the Mumsnet website after a few realised they shared the same fears about the advert, and this led to the 23 complaints that the ASA received.
One of the comments on Mumsnet, in July, said, "I have chosen NOT to tell my nearly 4yo about this. I haven't discussed it in detail with 9yo ds either I CHOOSE not to put the news on in our house. I really resent this being shoved at my children before a U cert movie. Completely inappropriate imo."
Another member commented, "Took my 5 yo and 7 yo to cinema this sfternoon. We have talked about this a bit, but I wasnot happy to have words like abducted and snatched used, when in a cinema you cannot distract the DC or turn it off. Unnecessary and inappropriate I agree."
Nine of those who complained said their children had been upset by the advert, which was part of the huge media campaign to publicise Madeleine's disappearance from Praia da Luz on 3 May, and appeared on the internet and some TV channels.
The ASA acknowledged that the idea of a child disappearing was inherently upsetting, but said the film was not sensationalist and did not contain any distressing images.
Find Madeleine website
Advertising Standards Authority
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