Is the TV commercial of the trade union FNV allowed? Yes, according to the Dutch Advertising Commission (RCC). The spot shows three people with occupational, physical limitations who talk about their hard financial future, caused by the update of the Invalidity Insurance Act. Between these images a smiling Prime Minister Rutte is showed. The FNV calls to support the petition against the sharp financial cuts of this government: "For hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people a hard bout, sign the petition on laatzenietvallen.nl. Result: more than 190 complaints to the RCC. Four of them were dealt with on Thursday, March 29, 2012.
The legal question was: Does freedom of speech also apply to the question whether a TVC is of good taste and decent? The RCC is crystal clear in her answer. This is clearly a political advertisement. Opinions may significantly differ in politics and the RCC should assess the TVC very reticent. Of course nobody thinks that Prime Minister Rutte and his cabinet really gloats over the financial cuts, the sharp contrast is also evident from a verbatim joke. The FNV can thus use its freedom of expression. The commercial does not exceed the limits of decency. The people are shown in a powerful way and are - given their vulnerable job position – not put down.
This case is handled for the FNV by Ebba Hoogenraad and D. van Eek, advertising lawyers.
The ruling can be found here and the TV commercial of the FNV can be seen here (in Dutch).
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Is the TV commercial of the trade union FNV allowed? Yes, according to the Dutch Advertising Commission (RCC). The spot shows three people with occupational, physical limitations who talk about their hard financial future, caused by the update of the Invalidity Insurance Act. Between these images a smiling Prime Minister Rutte is showed. The FNV calls to support the petition against the sharp financial cuts of this government: "For hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people a hard bout, sign the petition on laatzenietvallen.nl. Result: more than 190 complaints to the RCC. Four of them were dealt with on Thursday, March 29, 2012.
The legal question was: Does freedom of speech also apply to the question whether a TVC is of good taste and decent? The RCC is crystal clear in her answer. This is clearly a political advertisement. Opinions may significantly differ in politics and the RCC should assess the TVC very reticent. Of course nobody thinks that Prime Minister Rutte and his cabinet really gloats over the financial cuts, the sharp contrast is also evident from a verbatim joke. The FNV can thus use its freedom of expression. The commercial does not exceed the limits of decency. The people are shown in a powerful way and are - given their vulnerable job position – not put down.
This case is handled for the FNV by Ebba Hoogenraad and D. van Eek, advertising lawyers.
The ruling can be found here and the TV commercial of the FNV can be seen here (in Dutch).