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A publicity poster of a child holding his breath with his head underwater, accompanied by the slogan “Come on, hang in there. How about booking afterwards?” causes controversy in French-speaking Belgium. At least two complaints have been lodged with the jury for ethical advertising practices, the federal guardianship minister and the airline Brussels Airlines. Christine Mahy of the Walloon network against poverty and Pierre Ozer, researcher climatology and management of natural risks at the University of Liège, report this in a joint press release.
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Source: Belgian
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The controversial poster was distributed in areas affected by severe flooding in mid-July 2021 that killed more than 30 people. Many victims still live in battered homes.
“The ad campaign is shocking in more ways than one, as it shows a lack of respect for the population in the eyes of everyone. It is unspeakable cruelty and extreme disrespect for the many exhausted people, some of whom have been thrown into insecurity after the various recent crises. The ad takes advantage of the tragedy experienced by a very large number of Belgians and suggests that the journey could ‘save’ them. While it is precisely these people who will not be able to go on holiday and for whom the priority of financial expenditure will be focused on what is vital,” it reads.
More generally, the initiators behind the press release find it inconvenient, given the link between global warming and flooding, that such advertising encourages the use of a polluting mode of transport. “We call for a definitive ban on advertising that encourages citizens to consume more and more by creating non-essential needs that emit extremely high levels of greenhouse gases.”
Response Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines responded to the fuss on Friday by pointing out that everyone within the company is very concerned about the precarious situation in which the victims of the floods find themselves.
“The past two years have been a long and difficult period for almost all Belgians, with few positive moments. With this campaign, we especially wanted to send a positive and encouraging message to all Belgians. The photo shows a boy in a swimming pool, a typical holiday activity, while the accompanying text refers to the perseverance and resilience our country has shown,” the company said.
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