ASA clears TV ad by Marie Stopes
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The UK’s first television advertisement for an abortion service provider has been cleared by the advertising watchdog after an orchestrated campaign by pro-life campaigners led to more than 4,000 complaints.
Marie Stopes abortion advert
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) received 1,054 formal complaints from viewers that complained the ad for Marie Stopes International was offensive, promoted abortion and encouraged promiscuity.
It also received a petition with over 3,000 signatories organised by the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUK).
The ad for the sexual healthcare services charity, launched in May, offers women advice if they think they are pregnant and are “not sure what to do”. It did not mention abortion.
Ads for non-commercial “post-conception” pregnancy advice services are currently allowed on TV.
The ASA ruled the ad offered general advice on options, which might include abortion but did not “advocated any particular choice or course of action over another”.
It adds the spot did not encourage promiscuity because the women featured were shown in everyday settings and not “presented in a glamorous way”.
Marie Stopes says in a statement that the ads were “justified and in the interest of women everywhere”. It adds that “every possible care” was taken to ensure the ad was “sensitively” produced and complied with ASA codes.
SPUK has launched a leaflet campaign asking people to put pressure on Government to intervene and ban future broadcast of the ad.
A spokesman accused the ASA of interpreting the advertising codes too literally.
Readers' comments (4)
Anonymous | Wed, 4 Aug 2010 12:24 pm
The ad may convey Marie Stopes as an impartial advice and support clinic, but is encouraging abortion after initial customer contact of commercial interest to them. Surely persuading women to consult a GP or other impartial advisors first of all would be the more moral and ethical path. I don't know about Marie Stopes, hopefully someone can correct me, but if there is financial gain from promoting abortion then this stinks even more than if their marketing strategy was blatant.
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Anonymous | Wed, 4 Aug 2010 12:27 pm
and from the company that advertises:
"Recession busting vasectomies"
on their home page!
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Anonymous | Fri, 6 Aug 2010 10:39 am
In response to the point above many GPs are not impartial often refusing to help women with an unplanned pregnancy or trying to delay them accessing the correct care.
Marie Stopes is a charity and is not profit making.
Abortion providers like Marie Stopes and bpas (British Pregnancy Advisory Service) provide unplanned pregnancy counselling to discuss all the options available to a woman:
Continuing the pregnancy
Adoption and
Abortion
This is done in a non directive and unbiased way and is an obligatory part of consultation.
Women are never coerced into having an abortion. These organisations have the expertise to offer impartial advice and support to women with an unplanned pregnancy and I think its invaluable that a campaign like this can impart essential information to women who need these services.
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Anonymous | Wed, 3 Nov 2010 10:43 pm
I am writing to express my grave concern and sadness over the ASA's decision to allow the broadcasting of the Marie Stopes International adverts to continue. Although the adjudication report did not find any explicit reference to abortion itself, in reality the MSI provision of services typically results in abortion ninety percent of the time.
It would give me and many others great peace of mind if the adverts were discontinued. The ASA stated that the adverts "were sensitively made" but it is clear what the advert is implying and what it symbolises. The Marie Stopes International organisation's main service (operations) generates an annual income of ninety-nine million pounds. This prevents them from being in an impartial position when advising women who call their number and expect to hear information on all of their options - as the advert infers. The fact that the adverts are not sourced from a disinterested, independent body is a major concern not only in terms of objectivity but also in terms of false advertising.
It is worthy to note that any television documentary or soap opera which deals with sensitive issues, displays the contact details of impartial helplines after the broadcast to counsel viewers who may be affected by any of the issues raised. There is no offer of independent advice after the showing of the MSI adverts. The Marie Stopes International adverts masquerade as being impartial by referring to their "advice line" and "general advice service" but in reality the vast majority of their work (ninety percent) follows one route and because of this, they could never be considered impartial.
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