The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints regarding a recent direct mail advert by Cancer Research UK, finding it to be "threatening" to cancer sufferers, their families, and other vulnerable people.
The mass mailout arrived on people's doorsteps in a plain envelope with only the words "It Doesn't Matter To Me Who YOU ARE" in an old-fashioned typewriter-style font on the front. Inside, a letter, written as if from 'Cancer', started: "EVERYONE KNOWS ME. And they know the devastation I cause. I didn't think it could happen to me. That's what a lot of people say. The truth is it happens to more than one in three. For those people, their friends and families, things won't ever be the same again. And it's all down to me. I AM CANCER...I don't care who I hurt..." (full text below)
Four complaints were received by the ASA about the advertisement, which included a donations leaflet and a business reply envelope. One was in regard to the envelope not being clearly identified as marketing material, while three complaints were received about the "threatening" nature of the communication, stating it was "likely to cause serious distress to past or current sufferers of cancer, or other vulnerable members of the public".
When submitting a response to the ASA, CRUK said it was "irrational, illogical and not in accordance with the Code" to consider the envelope in isolation from its contents and that it was intended as a "teaser" to what was inside. The charity also argued that the content set out facts that were widely known and commonly repeated, and that it was "clearly a piece of fiction".
Future ads must not cause serious distress
However the ASA upheld all complaints demanding that the advertisement not be used again in its current form and advising CRUK "to ensure future ads did not cause serious distress and were clearly identifiable as marketing material".
While the regulator recognised a need for balance between distress inherent to a subject such as cancer with the need to raise funds, the circular was found to be unbalanced on this front. ASA's assessors found the advert to be presented in an "aggressive and threatening manner".
The typeface used, that of an old-fashioned typewritten text, was found to be "likely to be received as a threatening message", particularly when delivered directly to people's homes.
The inclusion of a donation leaflet and business reply envelope were not considered to take away from the distress likely to be caused by the mailing.
Nick Georgiadis, head of direct giving at CRUK, said: “We’d like to take this opportunity to apologise to anyone who was upset by this mailing and reiterate that it was never our intention to cause distress.
"The aim of the appeal was to inspire people to fund our research by representing the anger some people feel towards this terrible disease. When the original mailing was sent out we listened carefully to what our supporters said about it – both positive and negative – and in November we decided not to use this appeal again in its current format.”
CRUK worked with advertising agency Rapp on the mailout but a spokesperson for the charity advised that "creative sign-off is our responsibility".
