JC Penney disowns racy viral that won bronze at Cannes

by Staff, Brand Republic 25-Jun-08, 10:10

NEW YORK - US department store JC Penney has ordered a racy viral ad, which won a Bronze Lion at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, to be removed from circulation after it was produced without its consent.

The film, entitled "speed dressing", features two frisky teenagers practising getting dressed and undressed as quickly as they can to allow them to "fool around" with each other without getting caught by their parents.

It finishes with the line: "Today's the day to get away with it", followed by JC Penney's logo, which gives the impression that JC Penney condones teenage sex.

The spot was never broadcast on television but has been viewed more than 185,000 times on YouTube in less than two days.

Saatchi & Saatchi is JC Penney's current ad agency. However a former employee of the agency, Mike Long, is reportedly responsible for producing the spot. Credits on the ad also list New York production house Epoch Films.

JC Penney said in a statement: "No one at JC Penney was aware of the ad or participated in the creation of it in any way.

"The commercial was never broadcast, but rather was created by a former employee at JC Penney's advertising agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, solely as an award submission without JC Penney's knowledge or prior approval.

"JC Penney does not approve or condone [the ad's] content."

Saatchi & Saatchi apologised for the spot but blamed Epoch because documents show that it was the production house that entered the ad into the Cannes awards.

Saatchi said in a statement: "Saatchi & Saatchi has a long history of producing principled and respectful advertising for JC Penney and its entire client roster.

"[The 'Speed Dressing' TV commercial] was produced and released to the public without any knowledge or prior approval from JC Penney. Saatchi & Saatchi did not enter the spot and deeply regrets the message this ad presents."

It is unclear whether the Cannes festival plans to take any action.

Comments

Rob Mortimer - 25/06/2008

How can an ad produced without the consent of the company win an award? It's no wonder some people are getting fed up with 'concept ads' that get printed once in an obscure magazine winning golds. Real work hardly seems to get a look in in some categories.

Lazar Dzamic - 25/06/2008

Bad award entry management by the Lions: one of the basic requirements of any serious award show is to have a client consent form attached to the entry form. I wonder how deliberately they decide not to request that at all times. After all, cases such as this are a good PR for them.

Mark from Worth - 25/06/2008

Advertising should only be award winning if it is creative and effective. Is an ad that damages a client's core values and sees agencies squabling amongst themselves effective? Possibly not. However, the reality is that there are new ways of reaching younger audiences with ads that parents may not approve of. In fact, the dissaproval may have positive WOM benefits. Brands have got to balance the challenge of delivering engaging messages against protecting their traditional values.

craig lovelidge - 25/06/2008

Here's an idea- If a client wrote a disclaimer in their contract with the agency that if any "fake ads" where produced without the clients consent, the agency would- - A. Have to pay a penalty fee to the client - B. The clients business would immediately be tendered out for a pitch due to misconduct. These actions would stop any fake ads being produced and "accidently" being entered into award shows. Hit the agencies where it hurts (in the pocket) That'll soon put a stop to this fiasco.