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ODD NEWS

BANNED - THE ADVERT THAT CLAIMS DRINK MAKES KIDS TALLER

The Horlicks advert that was banned

Wednesday October 22,2008

By Julia White for express.co.uk

AN advert claiming that Horlicks makes children "taller, stronger and sharper" has been banned after mistakenly appearing on UK television.

The ad, along with one promoting Nestle's Maggi Noodles, was destined for viewers in Bangladesh, but screened on the UK channel Nepali TV by mistake.

Both included misleading claims that breached UK advertising regulations.

The Horlicks advert claimed the drink was trialled on half of children at a boarding school, with a voice-over saying in Bengali: “Children have become taller, stronger and sharper. The Horlicks challenge - now proven. See for yourself.”

In the Nestle advert a mother explained to her child: “Maggi is the best because it has essential protein and calcium that help to build strong muscles and bones. Indeed, there is no comparison to Maggi noodles. Amazing taste. Amazing nutrition.”

An accompanying graphic showed an arm with a yellow glow over the bicep and a knee with a yellow glow over the kneecap.

Nestle's Maggi Noodles advert which has also been banned

Nestle and Horlicks said they never intended the adverts to screen in the UK.

The adverts were picked up by the Advertising Standards Authority monitoring staff, who challenged the two companies and Nepali TV to provide evidence to back up the claims.

Nestle and Horlicks manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) said their adverts had been broadcast on Nepali TV without their knowledge or consent.

Both said the adverts complied with legal requirements in Bangladesh.

GSK said Horlicks in Bangladesh was carefully fortified and the claims were supported by clinical studies undertaken by the National Institute of Nutrition in India.

The manufacturer said the product was not available in the UK and there was no intention of advertising it here.

Nestle said Maggi Noodles with protein and calcium provided 20% of the recommended daily allowance for the nutrients as set out by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Health Organisation, both recognised by the Bangladesh Government.

It said it had seen no evidence that supported the claims in either of the adverts, ruling that they were misleading and Nepali TV should not have broadcast them in the UK.