Tfl has banned the ‘edgy’ ads of a funeral comparison service from all London buses and tubes.
One of the proposed adverts showed beachgoers running with coffins rather than surfboards. Another appears to be for a medicine, saying: ‘Headaches? Aches and pains? Better write your will then.’ Here are some more from their Twitter page:
Here are some of the ads that TFL wouldn't let us run, in situ pic.twitter.com/kDlpELDPTW
— Beyond (@BeyondLifeUK) July 24, 2018
Today we launch a new advertising campaign – it wasn't allowed on TFL, but it's up now around London. Hope you spot it… https://t.co/X9aqYJFXso
— Beyond (@BeyondLifeUK) July 23, 2018
TfL has, however, banned them as they were ‘likely to cause serious and widespread offence.’ A spokesperson for TfL said: “Running advertising that is seen by millions of Londoners every day is a serious responsibility and our advertising partner was advised by the Committee of Advertising Practice that the original posters proposed by Beyond were likely to cause serious and widespread offence. Our partner then worked with the brand to come up with a more acceptable campaign, which is now running on our network.”
Following this, the website’s co-founder, Ian Strang has called the decision “hugely disappointing”. “Our ads were designed to challenge people’s reluctance to talk about death and we hope they may even raise a smile,” he added.
Speaking on the BBC’s Victoria Derbyshire programme, Strang also said that the ‘adverts are edgy – death is an industry which has a taboo around it’.
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