BARNARDO'S DRUG BABY AD JUSTIFIED

Barnardo's, the children's charity, was justified in using the "stark
image" of a baby injecting heroin to drive home its role as a safe haven,
the Advertising Standards Authority said yesterday.

Rejecting 28 complaints attacking the newspaper campaign as shocking and
offensive, the ASA said it was obvious that Barnardo's had tried to convey
a "serious and important message".

When the advert appeared in January, the Committee of Advertising Practice,
the industry body which writes the code administered by the ASA, asked
publications not to use it. Barnardo's marketing director, Andre Nebel,
called this response "ill-considered and over-hasty".

"We are a charity trying to raise awareness of our work aimed at creating
better futures for children and young people threatened by disadvantage,
abuse and neglect. This message is clearly reflected in our advertising."

Most newspapers, including the Guardian, ran the advert, but in the face of
protest Barnardo's replaced the image with one of a happier baby. The
original showed a baby holding a syringe and gripping with his teeth a cord
that was wrapped around his arm.

The text read: "John Donaldson. Age 23. Battered as a child, it was always
possible that John would turn to drugs. With Barnardo's help, child abuse
need not lead to an empty future."

The ASA said: "Because the advertisers used the image to raise awareness of
the seriousness of drug abuse and the action that could be taken to prevent
it, the advertisement was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence
or undue distress."

Virgin yesterday withdrew an advert for a video game judged by the ASA to
incite violence against pedestrians. The poster for Carmageddon featured a
naked bottom with the words "Pedestrians. Kiss yours goodbye", and
underneath: "Puts the car into carnage" with "carnage" dripping in red.

Virgin Interactive Entertainment said the advert was humorous but
apologised for any offence caused.