An ad for vegan charity Viva! featuring scenes of a human baby being taken from its mother to protest against the treatment of dairy calves has been banned for irresponsible, distressing and likely to cause widespread offence.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said the cinema ad, which drew on the conventions of horror films, would have been particularly distressing for viewers who had experienced the loss of a child.
The ad, seen in March and April 2025, featured a mother placing her sleeping baby in a cot while a lullaby played before a silhouetted figure suddenly appeared standing over the infant and the room went dark.
A compelling new cinema ad from the UK’s top vegan charity, Viva!, aims to challenge the perceptions of dairy farming by revealing its heartbreaking effects on mothers and their babies.
Viva! is launching a crowdfunding campaign to bring this initiative to life. The money… pic.twitter.com/6hvtbT6FJN
— Vegan FTA (@teamveganfta) February 14, 2025
