The family owners of Antonio Federici, the two-year-old premium British ice cream maker whose gay priests ad “We Believe in Salivation” ad was banned by the government, want the man responsible for the homophobic censorship to quit. Good luck!
Chris Smith, the (HOMOSEXUAL!) chairman of Britain’s Advertising Standards Authority, should resign, says Frank Frederick and Philip, the brothers leading the company (and — so they claim — grandsons of their brand’s namesake). The supposedly offensive ad — part of a campaign that also featured a pregnant nun and a priest leaning in to kiss a nun, because this imagery is controversial — received just eight complaints. This, after the ASA managed to cock block the ad and keep the company from “run[ning] the ad again, or any other advertising which may cause serious or widespread offence.”
Last we heard the brothers were planning on defying the ASA order and papering London with the Catholic-y ads during the pope’s visit, but I’m not sure if anything ever came of that.
But who really needs Mr. Smith to resign? After all, the ASA’s ban has done wonders for the company’s free publicity push, and calling for Smith’s ouster is merely an attempt to keep the media blitz going.
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Tallskin
The danger of this ad, and similar ads, being banned by the Advertising Standards Authority, is that it reintroduces blasphemy laws by the back door.
the UK got rid of blasphemy laws, ie laws that protect the sensibilities of sky pixie worshippers and their absurd beliefs a long time ago.