Ad with animals sparks controversy

MUMBAI: An ad for a popular brand of soap has landed the makers on a slippery slope. The Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) has slapped a legal notice on Johnson & Johnson and Classic Films, claiming damages of Rs one crore, for allegedly forging a letter permitting them to use animals and birds in the latest Savlon movie ad.
The ad, showing a spotted dove, a dog and colourful macaws, is being beamed on television.Under Performing Animals Rules 2001, the creatures can be used in advertisements only if the AWBI issues a no-objection certificate. However, AWBI claimed that Classic Films forged a letter with a signature of the board's ex-secretary. Interestingly, the letter was supposedly issued on a Sunday.
Dr R Subramanian, whose signature is on the letter, which Classic Films claims is the NOC, has urged the AWBI chairperson to investigate the matter. In a letter, he said, "The certificate seems to have been issued on Jan 7, 2007, Sunday, when the office is closed. The signature appears to be forged."
Executive producer for the production house, Prashant Sampat, however, denied that the letter was forged. "Why should we forge it," he asked. He said he had not put much thought to the fact that the letter was shown to have been issued on a Sunday. "We have not received any legal notice, so we can't comment on the matter." However, Sampat later called back to say that the ad was shot in Malaysia, and permission was only sought to air it in India. However, the questionable NOC permits the use of "one dog, three cocotoons and two sparrows in the background."
AWBI chairperson Maj Gen (retd) R M Kharb said his office had not received any application for the NOC or any demand draft of Rs 500, which is the fee for the application. "Let them produce proof of the fact that they had applied for permission and even made the payment to us. It's very clear that the ex-secretary's signature was forged."
The AWBI has asked Johnson & Johnson (J&J) to stop airing the controversial advertisement on TV with immediate effect. However, they have sent the legal notice meant for J&J on the address of Classic Films.
On being contacted, Anil Nayak, director, corporate communications, J&J, said the company had not received any legal notice.
Animal activist Anuradha Sawhney said that Sampat had contacted her in June to know how to get permission for use of birds in ads. "I explained to him the entire procedure and within three days he faxed me the copy of permission. When I asked him why did he ask for guidance if he already had the permission in January, he claimed it was for some other ad."