ASA to investigate 'offensive' Home Office ‘Go Home’ ad as it receives less complaints than Marmite campaign
The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) had today announced that it will investigate the Home Office ‘Go Home’ ad campaign, after complaints that it is 'racist' and 'offensive'.
The campaign, which launched last month, tells illegal immigrants to ‘go home or face arrest’. Advertising vans as part of the campaign also inform the public of how many illegal migrants have been arrested in the area.
The ASA has told The Drum that 60 complaints have been made about the ad, with complainants suggesting the campaign is offensive and irresponsible because it is reminiscent of slogans used by racist groups to attack immigrants in the past and could incite or exacerbate racial hatred and tensions in multicultural communities.
Debbie Simmons, chairman at brand activation agency Incahoots, /opinion/2013/08/08/home-office-go-home-poster-vans-shockingly-racist-and-brilliant-piece-marketing">has suggested that
Complainants have also suggested that claims such as “106 arrests last week in your area” is misleading; because it implies arrest is the automatic consequence of remaining in the UK without permission.
This comes the same week as over 300 complaints have been made about the latest Marmite ad.
The ASA will publish its findings in due course.