British Agency Rules KFC Ad OK

The British agency in charge of overseeing television commercials has ruled that a KFC ad showing people singing with their mouths full does not violate agency standards. The Advertising Standards Authority says that such behavior is not likely to encourage UK children to be more bad mannered than they already are. Unhappy parents had complained loudly to the ASA, saying that the commercial was already leading their young ones astray, according to a Media Guardian article. While the ASA was sympathetic it said that "once taught good table manners children would be unlikely to adversely change their behaviour simply by watching this commercial....We appreciated that some viewers found poor eating habits unpleasant to watch. In this case, care was taken to avoid the more unsavoury sight of food in the women's mouths. While the intention was clear, they were shown simply speaking with bulging cheeks." The ruling also addresses other objections, such as the dangers of overeating, and of eating too quickly, running the risk of choking, and suggests that in view of the power parents and others have in countering the effects of the commercial, the commercial does not breach the agency's standards.

Read the ASA's ruling here.