Ad description
A TV ad for the 'Banana Surprise' kitchen accessory seen on 20 July in the afternoon during the CITV slot on ITV1. The ad was set in the jungle and featured two children dressed as explorers and a cartoon monkey sitting on hundreds of bananas. Whilst on-screen text stated "foodstuffs not included", voice-over stated "Make yummy banana treats, with Banana Surprise. Simply cut your banana, then remove the core. Now fill your banana with your favourite flavours" as the two children were excitedly shown using the product, including filling the banana with two different sauces, and showing a filled banana to the viewer. The monkey then stole the boy’s banana, before he was given another filled banana by the girl and they, and an adult explorer, all ate their filled bananas.
Issue
Sustain, who believed the presentation of the ad encouraged children to consume HFSS (high in fat, sugar or salt) foods, challenged whether the ad was irresponsible.
Response
Character Options Ltd explained that the Banana Surprise product allowed the user to remove a small core from the centre of a banana, which could be filled with a liquid or semi-liquid food item. They confirmed the substances used in the ad were a strawberry puree and a strawberry-flavoured yoghurt, which they believed were comparatively healthy options. They stated that no food content was supplied with the product and that it would therefore be for a child’s parent or guardian’s decision to supply the appropriate fillings. They believed parents would encourage their children to eat healthy fillings and considered that the product encouraged children to eat bananas; namely a healthy food, which they might not have eaten had they not played with the product. They pointed out that the ad stated “make yummy banana treats”. They did not believe the ad was irresponsible.
Clearcast noted that a range of foods, including fresh fruit, was on display next to the product during the ad and that an adult was featured with the children while they ate the bananas. They pointed out the ad was not for a food product itself and they did not believe that it encouraged the viewers to buy any specific ‘filler’ ingredients. The product did not come with any foods and the ad’s on-screen text stated “Foodstuffs not included”, which they felt further clarified that it was not an ad for a particular foodstuff or ingredient. They had consequently determined that the ad did not require HFSS related scheduling restrictions. They did not consider that the ad was irresponsible or that it suggested unhealthy eating habits to consumers.
Assessment
Not upheld
The ASA considered that the ad’s content would particularly appeal to children. While we considered it was irresponsible to promote HFSS products to children, we noted that the advertised product was not an HFSS food, but a food-related accessory, which we understood the advertisers marketed as a toy.
We acknowledged that the ad featured children using the product with various fillings, but did not specify the composition of the fillings shown. We considered that some viewers might believe the fillings to be jam or fruit-flavoured cream, or similar foods which might be categorised as HFSS. However, we considered that the fillings could equally be understood to be pureed fruit or yogurt, or similar non-HFSS foods. Moreover, we considered that the focus of the ad was on the product itself, rather than the fillings, and that the fillings were only featured in the context of demonstrating how the product worked. We further noted that on-screen text stated "Foodstuffs not included", and considered that viewers would understand that the banana could be filled with a food of their choice, and the fillings shown in the ad were illustrative only.
Because we considered that the focus of the ad was to demonstrate the mechanics of the product, and did not focus on the fillings, and that the overall impression was not that the product should be used in conjunction with HFSS food, we concluded that the ad was not irresponsible.
We investigated the ad under BCAP Code rule 1.2 1.2 Advertisements must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to the audience and to society. (Social responsibility), but did not find it in breach.
Action
No further action necessary.
