Ad description
A radio ad for an anti-blindness charity stated "... there's no hiding some signs of ageing. But there are also some that only you can see, like the signs of age-related macular degeneration. Some types of AMD can destroy your sight in just three months. And if you're over 50, you're most at risk. To find out how you can spot the signs of AMD and other eye diseases, call RNIB today ... or Google 'RNIB spot the signs'. Save your sight, spot the signs".
Issue
Two complainants, who considered that the ad was scare-mongering, challenged whether it was socially irresponsible and likely to cause undue fear or distress to people over the age of 50.
Response
The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) stated that they had commissioned new research and run focus groups in order to inform their approach to adverts encouraging people to take action to save their sight. They said their research had highlighted the need to raise awareness of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition affecting over 500,000 people in the UK which could, in 40,000 cases each year, be treated if action was taken promptly. They said the ad included a telephone number and website address and so directed people to clear information about what to do to prevent unnecessary sight loss and, where applicable, how the condition could be treated.
RNIB said in creating the ad they were aware of the need to attract the audience's attention without causing unnecessary distress. They had therefore deliberately avoided using the word "blind" and had made it clear that only some types of AMD would progress to the final stages within three months. They noted that AMD affected the central field of vision and that as a result sufferers might find themselves unable to drive, read or carry out other daily tasks. They therefore considered it was accurate to state "AMD can destroy your sight ..."; further, as the disease was rarer among people under the age of 50, it was also accurate to describe those over 50 as being "most at risk".
The Radio Advertising Clearance Centre (RACC) said they had been satisfied with the evidence provided by RNIB before they cleared the claims. They provided a copy of that evidence, which included statistics indicating that 2.4% of the UK population who were aged over 50 suffered from AMD. The figure rose to 4.8% for those over 65 and 12.2% for those over 80. The RACC said on that basis they did not feel that the ad was socially irresponsible or that the style and tone of the ad amounted to scare-mongering.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA noted that the ad had been created in order to raise awareness of the symptoms of AMD and included clear information as to how listeners could find out more about the condition and other eye diseases. We also noted that it included the claim "Some types of AMD can destroy your sight in as little as three months", which one complainant believed implied AMD could cause blindness, whereas the RNIB's website (including the part of the site to which listeners were directed in the ad) stated that AMD affected the central field of vision and did not lead to total loss of sight. We considered, however, that most listeners would understand the claim to mean that the damage caused by AMD could be irreversible, rather than that it could lead to total blindness. We understood that AMD was more prevalent among those over 50, and whilst the incidence of AMD increased further with age, we considered the ad did not go so far as to imply that being over 50 was the only risk factor for AMD, or that all people over 50 would develop the disease. On that basis, we did not view the claims about AMD to be alarmist in nature.
We noted that the tone of the voice-over in the ad was calm and measured, and on that basis were satisfied that the ad responsibly presented brief but salient information about AMD in order to raise awareness of the disease, including by providing clear instructions as to how to access further help and advice. We therefore concluded that the ad was not socially irresponsible or likely to cause undue fear or distress to people over the age of 50.
We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rules 1.2 1.2 Advertisements must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to the audience and to society. (Responsible advertising) and 4.2 4.2 Advertisements must not cause serious or widespread offence against generally accepted moral, social or cultural standards. and 4.10 4.10 Advertisements must not distress the audience without justifiable reason. Advertisements must not exploit the audience's fears or superstitions (Harm and offence), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
