The Perfume Shop hits out at the BBC
A new ad campaign from the BBC, shown on its terrestrial channels, radio stations and also online, have been called irresponsible.
The ads encourage Christmas shoppers to purchase digital radios as a means to listen to future BBC broadcasts. The problem however lies with the fact that the ads suggest shoppers seek these radios instead of traditional gifts such as aftershaves, jumpers and socks.
Jeremy Seigal, Managing Director of The Perfume Shop has hit out at the BBC and said:
“The BBC should not be trying to influence what people buy at Christmas solely to promote and protect its own broadcasting future. Their message that aftershave is not a ‘good’ present is wrong. Each Christmas we sell over one million bottles of aftershave but sadly, our advertising budgets will never be able to match the massive impact of the thousands of ‘free’ adverts so far run by the BBC.
“If the BBC must advertise, then possibly it should stick to promoting its own programmes rather than broadcasting negative messages about products which are bought in the High Street?”
The Perfume Shop is making an official complaint against the BBC and expects other retailers to follow suit.
Chairman of The Fragrance Foundation UK, John Ayres, added "This is irresponsible advertising by the BBC. With all the economic forecasters pointing to a poor Christmas and this holiday season being the most important trading time for retailers and fragrances in particular, the BBC should be promoting their own services rather than attempting to deprive other companies of Christmas sales. If the BBC was a more commercial operation and accepted advertising on its stations, it might be a little more careful whom it chose to offend!"
Having seen the BBC advertisement on TV a few days ago, I immediately thought trouble would follow and indeed, the BBC are treading a fine line.
