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7UP Pulls Prison TV Spot, Brandweek.com, May 24, 2002.
NEW YORK -- Human rights group Stop Prisoner Rape (SPR) said Friday that
7UP has agreed to pull its "Captive Audience" commercial off the air after
the beverage company received complaints from SRS and "nearly 100
organizations" over the ad's content.
In the spot, from Young & Rubicam, the 7UP spokesman distributes cans to
prisoners, but refuses to bend over when he drops one. In the concluding
scene, the 7UP guy is seen in a cell with another man's arm around him.
The spot has aired on network and cable, including MTV, UPN, FOX, and the
WB, along with other ads in the campaign, such as "Supporting Youth
Hockey" and "Not Another Swimsuit Calendar."
However, the "Captive Audience" spot was still available for viewing at
7UP's Web site as of Friday afternoon.
"This commercial was perpetuating the kind of callousness that allows
sexual abuse to continue in so many prisons virtually unchecked," said
Lara Stemple, executive director of SPR, Los Angeles. "We're very glad to
hear that 7UP has decided to stop sending out the message that it's okay
to laugh about rape when it involves people in prison. No corporation
would make jokes about rape outside of the prison context."
-- Staff Report
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