TV advertising regulators have ordered amendments to a commercial which
shows people scraping dogs excrement from their shoes.
The M&C Saatchi film for the Shoe Express chain of high street shops ran
into problems with the Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre, which
said viewers might find the image distasteful.
BACC executives have cleared the commercial for screening, but have
ordered that a brief shot of a dog defecating should be cut.
There are no restrictions on when the commercial - currently on test in
the Granada area - can be shown, although agency and client have
undertaken not to allow it to appear during children’s programming.
Liam Strong, the chief executive of Sears, which owns Shoe Express,
approved the 30-second film, which is likely to be rolled out nationally
in the new year.
The ad features unfortunate pedestrians stepping in dog mess, while a
voiceover says: ‘Shoe Express stores aren’t elaborate or fancy. So if
you find something unpleasant at the bottom of our shoes, it won’t be
the price.’ The ad was written by Paul Marshall, art directed by Gary
Marshall and directed by Jeff Stark.
Its appearance marks the first work by M&C Saatchi for Shoe Express
since winning the primarily downmarket self-service chain (Campaign, 15
November).
The agency says the creative execution resulted from the need to provide
some breakthrough advertising for Shoe Express, part of the British Shoe
Corporation holding company.
Zoe Osmond, the group account director at M&C Saatchi with
responsibility for Sears, said: ‘We are trying to differentiate the Shoe
Express brand by giving it attitude and a streetwise credibility.’
