Advertising Standards Authority
Stefan Cross Solicitors has registered a complaint about Unison's recent ‘attack’ advert – to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Here’s a quick summary:
1. The advert sets out to denigrate the activities of a competitor, i.e. Stefan Cross Solicitors.
2. The advert makes a deliberate issue about the origin and nationality of Stefan Cross Solicitors – using inappropriate language to describe Stefan Cross Solicitors as an ‘English’ firm
3. This is in stark contrast to the union’s description of itself as Unison Scotland - not as Scottish Unison or a Scottish trade union.
4. Stefan Cross Solicitors is, in fact, a UK organisation operating in both Scotland and England - ironically as Unison does itself.
5. The race, nationality and origins of Stefan Cross Solicitors are – or at least should be - irrelevant when it comes to equal pay.
6. The advert use of the word ‘English’, in the first paragraph of the text, is designed to convey a negative, anti-English sentiment to a Scottish audience.
7. The complaint goes on to say that ethnic origin and nationality of Stefan Cross Solicitors has no place in an advert that is supposed to be about the provision of legal services.
8. In effect, Unison has published a ‘dog whistle’ advert with unpleasant racial overtones.
Here’s a quick summary:
1. The advert sets out to denigrate the activities of a competitor, i.e. Stefan Cross Solicitors.
2. The advert makes a deliberate issue about the origin and nationality of Stefan Cross Solicitors – using inappropriate language to describe Stefan Cross Solicitors as an ‘English’ firm
3. This is in stark contrast to the union’s description of itself as Unison Scotland - not as Scottish Unison or a Scottish trade union.
4. Stefan Cross Solicitors is, in fact, a UK organisation operating in both Scotland and England - ironically as Unison does itself.
5. The race, nationality and origins of Stefan Cross Solicitors are – or at least should be - irrelevant when it comes to equal pay.
6. The advert use of the word ‘English’, in the first paragraph of the text, is designed to convey a negative, anti-English sentiment to a Scottish audience.
7. The complaint goes on to say that ethnic origin and nationality of Stefan Cross Solicitors has no place in an advert that is supposed to be about the provision of legal services.
8. In effect, Unison has published a ‘dog whistle’ advert with unpleasant racial overtones.
