Transport for London (TfL) ‘dropped the ball’ by allowing ads lobbying for new laws on assisted dying in tube stations, according to one media agency exec.
Ads promoting the assisted dying campaign appeared across London’s tube network, including at Westminster station, which is close to the UK’s Houses of Parliament, on 18 November. The OOH ads were run by campaigning organisation Dignity in Dying and feature statements such as, ‘My dying wish is my family won’t see me suffer. And I won’t have to.’
The billboards sparked controversy, with commuters posting photographs of the ads on social media, labelling them as insensitive and offensive. The Guardian also reported that MPs criticised the ads at Westminster, arguing that campaigners were using ‘inappropriate’ tactics.
‘I’m really surprised this got allowed through in the first instance,’ said Ex Cox, the founder and managing director at Yonder Media. ‘TfL have regulations and they are normally very strict about allowing things that are likely to cause offence and are around a public controversy.’
Cox said that while the media buy was not objectively inappropriate, two problems arise when looking at the matter subjectively.
‘It’s well known that you can buy OOH ads in Westminster underground station and it’s a good place to advertise if you are trying to reach MPs and civil servants. You’ll see ads aimed at them every day of the week,’ Cox said. ‘So, on the one hand, you could say — it’s fair game to target MPs with advertising in this way.
‘But subjectively, I’d say yes, it’s inappropriate and that has nothing to do with how I feel about the issue of assisted dying,’ Cox continued, pointing to the prevalence of suicide on tube tracks as one of the main reasons why the media placement was wrong.
In the 2018/2019 financial year alone, TfL recorded 59 suicide attempts, down from 72 in the previous year. Considering this, it is not surprising that Samaritan helpline posters were pasted over the ads, without permission, in Westminster.
‘I think it’s over the top to be targeting MPs on this one — with it being a free vote, it’s almost like the MPs are being targeted individually and personally via tube advertising, which isn’t right,’ Cox added.
Last week, BBC reported that a spokesperson for Dignity in Dying defended the OOH ads: ‘The campaign uses positive imagery of these people living life on their own terms, alongside messages about why they are campaigning for greater choice. For some of our posters to be vandalised is disappointing, and understandably upsetting for those pictured. We are in contact with them and we are making sure that they are being supported.’
The TfL also stated that the campaign was compliant with its advertising policy and the Committee of Advertising Practice code.
However, Cox argued that the campaign looked like it could be interpreted as breaching two clauses of TfL’s advertising policy, one of which (clause 2.3a) states that an advertisement will be unacceptable if ‘it is likely to cause widespread or serious offence to reasonable members of the public on account of the product or service being advertised, the content or design of the advertisement, or by way of implication.’ The other (clause 2.3h) states ads will be deemed unacceptable if they contain ‘images or messages which relate to matters of public controversy or sensitivity’.
‘Fair play to Samaritans for getting their response in,’ concluded Cox, ‘but the overriding feeling is TfL dropped the ball on this one and should not have allowed it to run.’
Featured image: Let Us Choose campaign / Dignity in Dying on X