Football Legend in Trouble With Welsh Council Over Dog Walking Advert
Published on November 25, 2008 by Jennifer White · 1 CommentA community council in Wales has complained about a TV advert which shows England and world cup legend Sir Bobby Charlton walking a dog through a field.
The Actimel advert shows Sir Bobby Charlton walking a dog through a playing field where a group of children are playing football. The advert shows he can still score, despite his older age as he curls the ball into the goal.
BBC News reports that councillors at Y Ferwig, Cardigan in Ceredigion have said the advert encourages dog walkers to use areas designated for children and sports. Council clerk Brian Gooch said there was a growing problem with dog fouling.
The council have not requested the advert be banned, but hoped that awareness would be raised to ensure that dog owners are aware of the problems of dogs fouling in public areas. He said that people would be quick to complain if their child fell in the dog’s mess.
Mr Gooch told the BBC ”It was an observation really, we wrote to the advertising standards because there is such a problem with dog fouling on playing fields. We did not want the advert banned, but the first few minutes could be cut off so that the dog is not shown at all.”
It is reported that the Advertising standards said that the advert does not condone bad behaviour, after a assessment of the advert was carried out they decided not to take the case any further.
They spoke to the BBC about the advert, ”The dog is incidental to the theme of this advert and is not shown encouraging upon the pitch where the children are playing football.”
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Tags: Social Issues
Lol, typical town council muscling in on something, if you have a problem with dogs on your sports pitches stop them being taken on there, how hard is that, do you really need to contact the advertising standards agency?
If anything the advert depicts a ‘gobby’ brat of a child being cheeky to an elderly gentleman walking his dog through an open space, perhaps that should be complained about…..kids being cheeky to their elders and we wonder why society is the way it is!
If your so worried about it Mr town clerk, instigate a consultation period in your town that includes all people, dog owners and non dog owners to look at the way forward.