ASA Adjudication on The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad

Ad

A national press ad for an animal protection charity featured the headline "SAVING HER LIFE MEANS HIS JUST GOT EASIER" above a photograph of an Afghanistani man, a donkey and a British soldier. Text underneath stated "To many farming families in Afghanistan, the well-being of their animals can be the difference between life and death. Desperation is what fuels this war and the simple act of helping their donkey can help prevent entire families from being drawn into this terrible conflict. Hearts and minds can be won over by simple, practical help. SPANA provides veterinary care and training which helps local people to look after their livestock. Ultimately, our brave British servicemen and women can benefit from the care which you help us provide".

Issue

Two complainants challenged whether:

1. the claim "Ultimately our British servicemen and women can benefit from the care which you can help us provide" was misleading and could be substantiated;

2. the ad was offensive and exploited the British troops in order to get donations.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

1. & 2. The Society for the Protection of Animals Abroad (SPANA) explained that a small-scale veterinary programme was initiated by the Royal Army Veterinary Corps in 2009 to treat livestock belonging to rural farmers in the Helmand province. This was part of a wider initiative to win over the hearts and minds of ordinary Afghans, whose lives were fundamentally linked to the well-being of their livestock, in an attempt to make them less susceptible to the influence of the Taliban. SPANA said, because of their expertise in that area of work, they were approached to expand the programme through the provision of targeted veterinary training.

SPANA argued that the consequences of improved relations between rural Afghans and Allied Forces were reduced animosity, mutual support, information sharing and a longer-term rejection of the influence of the Taliban. They believed that the support SPANA provided was therefore clearly of benefit to British servicemen and women. They did not believe that the ad was offensive or exploited British troops, and said the Ministry of Defence had agreed the creative and wording of the ad before it was published.

Assessment

1. Upheld

The ASA noted the ideas and aims of SPANA's veterinary project in Afghanistan. However, we considered that the claim "Ultimately our British servicemen and women can benefit from the care which you can help us provide" would be understood by consumers to mean that any money donated in support of the project would directly assist British servicemen and women. We also considered that that claim was presented as a statement of fact that was capable of substantiation. We noted we had not seen evidence that showed a direct correlation between the work of SPANA and the effects on the lives of British servicemen and women serving in Afghanistan, and we therefore concluded that the claim was likely to mislead.

On this point, the ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 (Substantiation) and 7.1 (Truthfulness).

2. Not upheld

We noted the ad had been produced with the support of the Ministry of Defence. We also noted the aim of the scheme was to improve relations between Afghans and British servicemen and women, and that the scheme was initiated by the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. We considered, in that context, that the reference to British servicemen and women, and the inclusion of a picture of a British soldier, were unlikely to be seen by most consumers as exploitative or offensive. We therefore concluded that, on this point, the ad was not in breach of the Code.

On this point, we investigated the ad under CAP Code clause 5.1 (Decency), but did not find it in breach.

Action

The ad must not appear again in its current form.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)