Advertising Standards Authority rules against Viva!'s anti-dairy advert

The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) and Dairy Council for Northern Ireland (DCNI) have expressed approval of the Advertising Standards Authority's (ASA) decision to uphold complaints against vegan charity Viva!'s cinema advertisement. The ASA concluded that the ad was "irresponsible and likely to cause unjustified distress and serious and widespread offence," leading to its ban in the form it was presented.

The advertisement, rolled out in cinemas during March and April, sparked 25 complaints, including formal objections from the UFU and DCNI. UFU deputy president John McLenaghan emphasized that the advert carried a misleading and damaging message about the dairy industry, directly impacting their members, who felt misrepresented.

The ASA has addressed Viva! with a directive to ensure that future campaigns uphold advertising standards, avoiding content that can cause offense or distress. Ian Stevenson of DCNI also highlighted the strong reaction from the dairy sector, noting that the ad failed to accurately represent dairy farmers' commitment to high welfare standards. Both organizations see the ruling as a crucial precedent in ensuring accuracy and responsibility in advertising efforts.

Viva! argued its purpose was to highlight standard dairy practices, using metaphorical representation to comment on animal welfare. However, the discovery process affirmed the importance of truthful representation in media.