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Marmite, that terrifying paste
 Marmite, the gooey, vitamin-rich spread usually served on a piece of toast, has always been a staple in the diets of British children during their formative years. (The savory stuff is made from a yeast byproduct of the brewing industry—which no doubt explains the country’s taste for affiliated beverages in later life!) Now, in yet another example of the overly paternal tendencies of the U.K. nanny state, comes a crackdown on new TV commercials for Marmite. The spots, produced by DDB London, parody the 1958 cult classic The Blob. In this case, the big brown monster is none other than a Marmite blob, which causes some people to run away while others, including a man with a cheese sandwich, dive into it. The adverts are tagged, “You either love it or hate it.” The campy spots are hilarious, but the dour U.K. Advertising Standards Authority has overruled Marmite maker Unilever Bestfoods and deemed them too terrifying for children and have banned them from all kids’ programs in Britain.
—Posted by Noreen O’Leary
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March 16, 2005 in O'Leary | Permalink
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Comments
Why was I under the assumption that European advertising was allowed greater latitude than that of the US.
I always get the impression that when you create a governing body they will make laws at a given pace. Let's just say 20 laws a year for giggles. Rulings like the one you just mention are what happen when there are only 10 important decisions to hand down during a 20 decision year.
They need to do SOMETHING.
Posted by: Bruce DeBoer | Mar 16, 2005 5:51:51 PM
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