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[Politics] Politics (or is it?) Iceland Advert



highflyer

Well-known member
Jan 21, 2016
2,425
So if the reports are correct:

  • Advertising to persuade people to consume more stuff is 'non political' and OK
  • Adverstising to persuade people to consume differently (or even, god forbid, less) is 'politcal' and banned

Here's the Iceland advert that has apparently been banned (it's rather good and worth a watch):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdpspllWI2o

And to make the same point here's another good one that was also (apparently) banned, because the fishing industry objected:

https://vimeo.com/131066980

I obviously have my views, but always interested to hear from others.
 




BrickTamland

Well-known member
Mar 2, 2010
1,961
Brighton
Censorship at its clearest. Last ditch attempt by governments and companies to put profit ahead of the environment. Sad but predictable. Kudos to Iceland though
 


clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,175
Censorship at its clearest. Last ditch attempt by governments and companies to put profit ahead of the environment. Sad but predictable. Kudos to Iceland though

The film was actually made by Greenpeace. The authority deemed them to be "non-compliant" .i.e. "political" and can't allow the advert to be shown on TV.

Whether you support Greenpeace or not is irrelevant to the point. If Iceland had simply made it themselves, I'd imagine it would fine.

The rules are for TV which are good thing - else we go down the route of America.

As for censorship ? Nah, it's prominently displayed on Iceland's website and is all over the internet quite legally.
 


BrickTamland

Well-known member
Mar 2, 2010
1,961
Brighton
My knowledge on tv advertising rules is very limited but surely green peace have had adverts on UK tv before?
 




highflyer

Well-known member
Jan 21, 2016
2,425
The film was actually made by Greenpeace. The authority deemed them to be "non-compliant" .i.e. "political" and can't allow the advert to be shown on TV.

Whether you support Greenpeace or not is irrelevant to the point. If Iceland had simply made it themselves, I'd imagine it would fine.

The rules are for TV which are good thing - else we go down the route of America.

As for censorship ? Nah, it's prominently displayed on Iceland's website and is all over the internet quite legally.

But nearly all advertisements are made by outside agencies aren't they? So what?

Surely it's a question of whether it broke BCAP rules on being 'political'. A judgement made by Clearcast, which seems to be the industry body of commercial terrestrial TV companies. Having rules is one thing, but who makes the rules, and who applies those rules, and to what end?

How is this advertsement deemed political? It isn't. Or no more so than 99.9% of adverts that are put out.

Anyway, this is going to mean it gets viewed a whole lot more than it would otherwise and without Iceland (or Greenpeace) having to pay. So I guess that's a good thing.
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
The film was actually made by Greenpeace. The authority deemed them to be "non-compliant" .i.e. "political" and can't allow the advert to be shown on TV.

Whether you support Greenpeace or not is irrelevant to the point. If Iceland had simply made it themselves, I'd imagine it would fine.

i thought wtf first, but this makes sense. Greenpeace is a political, so they shouldnt be funding/making consumer ads, right? If Iceland had made it or if Greenpeace put their name to it, it would be OK. its not that it was political per se but that it hides a political message as commercial.
 


clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,175
My knowledge on tv advertising rules is very limited but surely green peace have had adverts on UK tv before?

Not to my knowledge, but cinema rules have always been different.

The advert hasn't been banned by the way :) it just hasn't been cleared.

Subtle difference. Clearcast aren't a regulator they are just a compliance unit that work on behalf of broadcasters. They check ads meet the rules.

They can't sign this off - because I *think* the film was actually made by Greenpeace who as a predominately "political" organisation aren't deemed compliant.

So it's been reported quite incorrectly.

As everyone has pointed out - it's available everywhere else - it's just can't cleared to be used as a TV ad.

But they can show it on the news I think :)

The resulting publicity has made sure the film has been seen and discussed widely. So I'd imagine everyone is happy !!!
 
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clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,175
i thought wtf first, but this makes sense. Greenpeace is a political, so they shouldnt be funding/making consumer ads, right? If Iceland had made it or if Greenpeace put their name to it, it would be OK. its not that it was political per se but that it hides a political message as commercial.

It's Greenpeace involvement. Statement from ClearCast

Clearcast is the body responsible for clearing ads on behalf of the four major UK commercial broadcasters. We assess all ads against the rules of the Broadcast Code of Advertising Practice (BCAP); Clearcast is not a regulator and we do not ban ads.

Clearcast and the broadcasters have to date been unable to clear an ad for Iceland because we are concerned that it doesn’t comply with the political rules of the BCAP code. The creative submitted to us is linked to another organisation who have not yet been able to demonstrate compliance in this area.


It's an existing Greenpeace film I think. Iceland are simply re-using it.

From PR Week

Meanwhile, Iceland’s version of "Rang-tan" – which is the same as the original, with the exception of the closing messages – will be available to view on YouTube.

Iceland had been attracted to the film because of its production quality and because it "portrays a very serious issue in a really clear and emotionally connecting way", Hayes said. But he noted: "In the fullness of time, we’ll find other ways to communicate what is something that we really believe in."


Allowing it as an ad (under the circumstances) opens up a huge can of worms.

Hopefully Iceland will start producing their own films/ads about this very important cause. You've got to applaud them actually.
 
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Mellotron

I've asked for soup
Jul 2, 2008
31,730
Brighton
So ****ing depressing, that looking after the planet can be seen as "political".
 


beorhthelm

A. Virgo, Football Genius
Jul 21, 2003
35,265
It's Greenpeace involvement. Statement from ClearCast

my thought/question is, if there had been "Save a rainforest, donate to Greenpeace today" at the end, it would have been OK?

just seen other post... so its a bloody technicality anyway, deliberately misreported.
 




highflyer

Well-known member
Jan 21, 2016
2,425
I am wondering if there was actually a deliberate strategy here. If so, very clever. It's opening up a discussion on what is deemed 'political' and getting Iceland huge publicity and kudos.

Some would say that Greenpeace is 'non political' because it doesn't promote specific political party

I'd see it differently. To my mind a lot more things than we think are really political - big companies persuading us to buy sh*t we don't need is political just as much as Greepeace telling us NOT to buy sh*t we don't need. So my problem is not that this advert is not 'political' but (if that is how 'political' is defined) why all the other adverts are not also seen as political?
 


Bozza

You can change this
Helpful Moderator
Jul 4, 2003
55,575
Back in Sussex
This won't stop me being able to buy a load of similar looking brown and bread-crumbed party food, will it?
 


Official Old Man

Uckfield Seagull
Aug 27, 2011
8,486
Brighton
Couple of thoughts. I believed that adverts were shown and only removed if someone complains.
Meanwhile in the good old gun totting US anything goes. Watching US TV in the lead up to the elections this week it's all politics. But all they do is put down the opposition.
All this about Iceland reminds me how, here in the UK, a political party puts up a single billboard advert somewhere and all the news channels cover it, thus free TV advertising anyway.
 










clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,175
I'll post it again :)

It isn't banned, just not signed off for use as an advert. That has nothing to do with the content. The film wasn't made by Iceland it's an existing Greenpeace film.

Greenpeace as the makers of the film are currently "non compliant" as an organisation allowed to run advertising on UK TV.

We can argue about that, but I'd counter due to the way Greenpeace operates (which I applaud) it opens up a huge can of worms for the regulator if they were allowed to.

Interesting article here. Because the places you can advertise are much wider than TV, it allows them be far more provocative elsewhere.

https://www.marketingweek.com/2016/...gilante-justice-to-the-worlds-biggest-brands/

They've been producing "alternative ads" for a few years. I suspect this has all been a very well thought out publicity stunt by them and good on Iceland for helping that out.

So lets put this into context. There are strict rules about TV advertising.

1) If Greenpeace weren't involved it may have been cleared.

2) Any broadcaster could take Iceland logo off and decide to play it as a normal short produced by Greenpeace.

3) You can play it now on the news if the context was clear.

4) You can play it in the cinema.

Nothing has been banned. Only a control on usage.

Sent from my BTV-DL09 using Tapatalk
 
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clapham_gull

Legacy Fan
Aug 20, 2003
25,175
Que? Please clarify.
See my take above.

Saving the planet doesn't have to be political, but Greenpeace appear to be non compliant to advertise on UK TV. That's something they need to argue.

I think it opens a can of worms but anyway...

I'd imagine they are consulted all the time by the TV industry when they are making progs about the planet.

Anyway I think I've found a solution.

Play it as a short film by Greenpeace and get Iceland to sponsor it.

This palm oil awareness film has been brought to you by the makers of Vol au Vents.

:)

Sent from my BTV-DL09 using Tapatalk
 


Simster

"the man's an arse"
Jul 7, 2003
54,110
Surrey
Banned Iceland advert

Presumably lots of people have seen this by now, but if you haven't:

[yt]HTZ6sFW7kCg[/yt]


I am struggling to understand why they've banned it. Apparently it's "too political". Really? It doesn't impress me that un-elected people get to make decisions like that.
 



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