LONDON (Reuters) - Call centre workers shown on TV singing with their mouths full have prompted a flood of complaints from those concerned over the depiction of bad manners.
The commercial for Kentucky Fried Chicken became Britain's most complained about ad, with 1,671 members of the public contacting the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Offended viewers said it encouraged bad manners in children by making it appear funny to sing or speak while eating and 41 of those who complained said their children had aped the ad.
But the ASA rejected all complaints and dismissed fears of an epidemic of children eating open-mouthed.
"As teaching good table manners is an ongoing process needing frequent reminders at meal times, we do not agree that the advertisement would have a detrimental effect," the authority said in its ruling.
Nearly all those who complained said they found it unpleasant to watch.
The advert used subtitles to explain what the three call centre staff were singing as they munched KFC salads, leading some viewers to complain that it mocked people with speech and hearing impediments.
It ended with one of the women answering a phone singing "hello, emergency helpline", which prompted others to complain that it implied call centre staff were unprofessional.
Disgruntled viewers will be spared having to see the commercial again, however, as KFC said its planned run is finished and has no plans to show it again.
KFC, a division of Yum Brands Inc. , said it intended the commercial to be light-hearted. The ad was created by Bartle Bogle Heagarty, which is minority owned by Publicis .
The previous record for complaints over a television commercial was the 860 filed against a Wrigley's gum commercial that showed a man regurgitating a dog.
According to an ASA spokeswoman, a 1995 print campaign by the British Safety Council to promote safe sex, showing the pope wearing a helmet, held the old record for more objections than any other advert with 1,187 complaints.
In both those cases, ad watchdogs agreed with the complaints.
