The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has imposed restrictions on an advert produced by life insurance firm DeadHappy after it featured an image of GP serial killer Harold Shipman.
The Leicester-based company promoted its services with the tagline: ‘Life Insurance. Because you never know who your doctor might be.’ Last week, the ad caused widespread controversy, with many viewers of the ad subsequently branding it as ‘distasteful’.
A family member of one of Shipman’s victims also issued a statement online, writing: “As someone whose relative was murdered by Harold Shipman, your latest advert utilising his image is despicable and unacceptable. I hope you enjoy yet another judgement from the ASA and change your practices.”
This is NOT ok. Who approved this advertising?! pic.twitter.com/wPL1GG93zh
— Clare (@WillowsCrayon) January 23, 2023
According to the BBC, the FCA has now ruled that the company’s future advertisements must be cleared by its risk carrier, Shepherds Friendly, which provides insurance for DeadHappy.
While the insurance firm claimed it only used the image to be provocative, it has since removed the ad in response to complaints online.
The ruling from the finance authority states that DeadHappy “must cease to communicate any further financial promotions that have not received prior approval”.
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“In our attempt to be provocative and make people really stop and think about their need for life insurance, we have made a mistake and for this we apologise,” DeadHappy founder Andy Knott told the BBC. “We will now go away and immediately review all of our current and future marketing campaigns to ensure we learn from this mistake.”
A Shepherds Friendly spokesperson added: “Upon being made aware of the advert distributed on social media on 23 January featuring Harold Shipman, we immediately expressed our view to DeadHappy that it was distasteful and inappropriate and asked them to remove it. We are committed to our values and this does not align with them. Following the FCA’s restriction on DeadHappy’s activities, we are ensuring those requirements are complied with.
“In addition we have given our feedback to DeadHappy regarding our expectations of their conduct in the future.”
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is also reportedly reviewing more than 50 complaints about the controversial advert.
