He quite clearly states why it was banned. The guidelines for advertising in the UK are strict. If you feature someone, you have to get their permission, especially if you are being insulting to somebody, even if you think they deserve it and you (the creator) don't think it is offensive.

This is not a "free speech" thing, this is an advert for a commercial product.

You can't sell stuff by taking the piss out of people, that's the law. You can sell stuff that contains pisstakes, but not if you put the pisstakes in the advertising.

Get it? No conspiracy, just a sensible polite restriction on advertising.

Downvote for this twat thinking he is so clever when he just isn't.

It is stupid to ask Bin Laden permission, yes, so you know what? Don't put Bin Laden in the advert, ffs, you wanker.

"bush puts video tape in toaster" isn't really very funny anyway. wtf is a toaster doing in the office?

LAME.

I don't like non-factual advertising in general. The ad is stupid. What this ad taught me is that 2DTV sucks 4 lyfe. Whatever it is.

Am I right in thinking that this would be okay in the US because it is the image of a public official?

Like MINK says, this moron, who apparently works in advertising, clearly doesnt know shit about advertising. Ads are not "free speech" in all countries. Where I live, there is a strict ruleset: No advertising aimed at children, no advertising for tobacco/alcohol, (not even any ads with people smoking/drinking in them), and ofcourse no use of people without their permission. Obviously some of these rules are not always followed 100%, and some of the rules seems downright paranoid, but the fact is, that advertising really is garbage of the worst kind, it creeps into every corner of the world we live in, and they need some restriction.

No 1st Amendment. LOLZ!

None of the fundamental philosophical bases of free speech support unlimited commercial speech. Generally speaking, commercial advertisement does not promote the free flow of thought, does not aid in the education of a voting populace, and has slight connections with personal liberty. These ideals are fully able to stand independent, and well safe-guarded, in the face of regulations on commercial speech.

The losses to society by restricting free commercial speech are outweighed, on the whole, by the benefits from greater truth in advertising and any potential reduction in the prevalence of partisan slander.

Note also that commercial speech may be regulated to prevent falsehood and defamation without hindering, for example, solicitations by charitable organizations.

Gotta voice full agreement with the other downvoters on this one. Except QM, but no surprises there.

BicycleRepairMan, 'this moron' does not work in advertising, he is a cartoonist for 2DTV (political parody). Its called humour people, get over yourselves. Its not as if Bush doesn't know that loads of people think hes stupid. If is doesn't know that then it rather proves this ad.

*dead

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