The Guardian reported last week that the newly-appointed Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster, the Most Rev Vincent Nichols, used his first interview since being named by the Pope to denounce plans to permit TV ads for condoms and birth control clinics.
So should we ban them? Should we stop the advertising of condoms designed to prevent pregnancy and STDs amongst teenagers? If not, should we do it in a more adult way? Should women be presented with the options available to them in the case of unwanted pregnancy? Or do the moral imperatives to prevent 'irresponsible behaviour' and abortion outweigh any other considerations?
Believe it or not, I welcome contributions such as this. There is always a danger we marketers become morally complacent, and occasionally a sense of outrage is required, as with the public reaction to Sir Fred Goodwin's arrogance.
But before the advertising community takes the Archbishop's lecture on sexual ethics too much to heart, in the very same week yet another priest, this time in Northumberland, was pleading guilty to 5 counts of indecently assaulting young boys under 16. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the Archbishop's views, I can't help thinking of the saying about glass houses and throwing stones.
