SINGAPORE - The Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS) will be looking into complaints against a controversial slimming ad.
The ad's depiction of a distraught overweight woman finding happiness only after she loses 20kg - which slimming centre London Weight Management claims to be based on a real life story - has sparked an outcry.
The ad ended its run on free-to-air television last Friday and has been removed from YouTube.
In response to Today's queries, ASAS chairperson Tan Sze Wee said it has "received feedback that the advertisement portrays being slim as the passport to success or discriminates against overweight persons".
Dr Tan added: "ASAS would be writing to London Weight Management to highlight some of the concerns that we have on the advertisement."
When contacted, the company said it would not be responding to further media queries. Last week, London Weight Management was quoted in an e-mail response to Yahoo! Singapore that "we have not breached any regulation in accordance to the local regulation".
The company's marketing and communications manager, Ms Hazel Tang, also reportedly said that the ad was "based on real life stories and experiences provided by our customer". Ms Tang also reiterated that the company was not discriminating against "obese women".
The Media Development Authority of Singapore (MDA) has a TV Advertising Code, which governs areas such as language standards, scheduling and advertising quotas.
According to the MDA's director for content and standards, Ms Amy Chua, television advertisements here are self-regulated and industry bodies such as the ASAS - through the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP) - look into the factual accuracy of claims in the advertisements.
Said Ms Chua: "It also assesses advertisements based on the expertise of its members, who are representatives from government agencies, advertisers and media owners. ASAS is now examining the recent complaints on the recent London Weight Management advertisement over the claims and references made to slimming and weight control."
The MDA also noted that the London Weight Management advertisement has stopped running and MediaCorp will not be airing it further.
MediaCorp senior vice-president (pricing management and commercial operations) Lily Chua said: "MediaCorp provides its customers with a total package of advertising solutions. In the case of London Weight Management, part of our service includes facilitating the process and ensuring the completion of their production."
She added: "As with most commercial engagements, creative decisions are made by the clients. Advertisements on free-to-air television are governed by the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (ASAS) and TV Advertising Code (MDA) and vetted before telecast." Additional reporting by Ong Dai Lin
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