Date: 3rd October 2000

British Watchdog Clears Ad Decried By Bird Lovers


Britain's TV watchdog, the Independent Television Commission, has cleared a TV ad that drew 390 complaints.

The ad, for an "energy drink" called Red Devil, shows rough-hewn soccer-star-turned-actor Vinnie Jones pruning flowers in his garden, when he sees a robin crying because its bird feeder is empty. Jones fills the feeder and places it on the windowsill of his kitchen. The bird, seeing the filled feeder, flies to fetch the food -- and collides with the kitchen window. "Although some sections of the audience might find the material to be in very poor taste, the advertisement was not unacceptable for broadcast," the commission ruled.

Source: Studio Briefing