Sid the Slug
Encyclopedia
Sid the Slug is an advertising
character employed by the Food Standards Agency
(FSA) in the United Kingdom
as the face of the "Salt - Watch it" campaign to warn the public of the risks of excessive salt
consumption.
The multimedia
campaign, including advertising hoardings
, television commercials and Internet
coverage, was based on the premise that salt kills slug
s, and can harm humans too. The campaign infuriated the Salt Manufacturers' Association (SMA), who complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
- their complaint being that the information presented was misleading. The Advertising Standards Authority
did not uphold the SMA complaint in its adjudication..
The ASA had to deal with another complaint from a member of the public, that the use of the name "Sid" was offensive; this was also rejected, with the ASA instead arguing that most people would find it "humorous
".
A member of the public complained to the FSA that the Welsh subtitles in the ‘Sid the Slug’ TV advertisements meant the FSA was not treating English and Welsh equally, as is required by the FSA Welsh Language Scheme. The FSA replied that the animation could not have been dubbed into Welsh successfully, hence the subtitles. However, the FSA accepted that it had not complied with advertising conduct, as set by the Welsh Language Board
.
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
character employed by the Food Standards Agency
Food Standards Agency
The Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food throughout the United Kingdom and is led by a board appointed to act in the public interest...
(FSA) in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
as the face of the "Salt - Watch it" campaign to warn the public of the risks of excessive salt
Edible salt
Salt, also known as table salt, or rock salt, is a mineral that is composed primarily of sodium chloride , a chemical compound belonging to the larger class of ionic salts. It is essential for animal life in small quantities, but is harmful to animals and plants in excess...
consumption.
The multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
campaign, including advertising hoardings
Billboard
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
, television commercials and Internet
Internet
The Internet is a global system of interconnected computer networks that use the standard Internet protocol suite to serve billions of users worldwide...
coverage, was based on the premise that salt kills slug
Slug
Slug is a common name that is normally applied to any gastropod mollusc that lacks a shell, has a very reduced shell, or has a small internal shell...
s, and can harm humans too. The campaign infuriated the Salt Manufacturers' Association (SMA), who complained to the Advertising Standards Authority
Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
- their complaint being that the information presented was misleading. The Advertising Standards Authority
Advertising Standards Authority (United Kingdom)
The Advertising Standards Authority is the self-regulatory organisation of the advertising industry in the United Kingdom. The ASA is a non-statutory organisation and so cannot interpret or enforce legislation. However, its code of advertising practice broadly reflects legislation in many instances...
did not uphold the SMA complaint in its adjudication..
The ASA had to deal with another complaint from a member of the public, that the use of the name "Sid" was offensive; this was also rejected, with the ASA instead arguing that most people would find it "humorous
Humour
Humour or humor is the tendency of particular cognitive experiences to provoke laughter and provide amusement...
".
A member of the public complained to the FSA that the Welsh subtitles in the ‘Sid the Slug’ TV advertisements meant the FSA was not treating English and Welsh equally, as is required by the FSA Welsh Language Scheme. The FSA replied that the animation could not have been dubbed into Welsh successfully, hence the subtitles. However, the FSA accepted that it had not complied with advertising conduct, as set by the Welsh Language Board
Welsh Language Board
The Welsh Language Board is a statutory body set up by the UK Government as part of the Welsh Language Act 1993. It is now an Assembly Sponsored Public Body...
.
External links
- Sid the Slug game from the Food Standards AgencyFood Standards AgencyThe Food Standards Agency is a non-ministerial government department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for protecting public health in relation to food throughout the United Kingdom and is led by a board appointed to act in the public interest...
- Salt Manufacturers' Association
- Salt Manufacturers' Association press release Sid the Slug slips up 18 October 2004
- BBC Salt firms complain over campaign 20 September 2004
- BBC Sid says salt stinks. Salt says same of Sid 23 September 2004
- Daily Telegraph (Dr James Le Fanu) In sickness and in health: take Sid the Slug's warning with a pinch of salt
- News-Medical.Net article on the SMA's complaint Salt Association hits back at 'Sid the Slug' campaign
- FSA ASA throws out complaint against Agency 12 October 2004
- FSA Complaint against Food Standards Agency ad campaign thrown out by ASA 12 October 2004