This ad for Italian gelato maker Antonio Federici, which ran in Britain’s Look magazine, has been banned by U.K.’s Advertising Standards Authority. The ASA claims to have received all of six (count ‘em six!) complaints about the ad, and ordered the ice cream company not to run the ad again.
“We considered the portrayal of the two priests in a sexualized manner was likely to be interpreted as mocking the beliefs of Roman Catholics and was therefore likely to cause serious offense to some readers,” the ASA said in a statement. Antonio Federici responded by saying the ad did not mock the church but “reflected the grave troubles they considered affected the Catholic Church.”
The gelato maker launched the ad in the latest edition of Look in retaliation to the ASA’s banning of another ad the magazine ran last month (seen below).
The ad featuring the pregnant nun wasn’t the first time Antonio Federici ran into problems with British authorities either. Last year, the ads seen below were also banned by the ASA.
I imagine we’ll see an equally offensive ad coming in the next edition of Look as well. The Italians are obviously taunting the Brits and their sill advertising standards, and I assume the ASA will eventually threaten a huge fine to get them to stop. But until then, Antonio Federici will continue to run the controversial ads and enjoy the copious free publicity and likely surge in sales that come with it.
What is wrong with you bigots? This is called progress. Do you want to remain the narrow minded, purely white murderous empire you once were? Or do you want to join the 21st century and enjoy the diversity of people? Being a conservative Christian is a thing of the past. Its now acceptable for homosexuals and people of any race to be together. Britain is NOT some exclusively white heterosexual nation. It saddens me that this meets opposition. I hope that one day Britain will discard the narrow minded instincts of their forefathers and embrace true diversity and multiculturalism. Remember, there is only ONE race, the human race.