The Liverpool FC Forum > General Football and Sport
Diadora Horror
cornelius:
Taken from today's Daily Mirror
Exclusive by Helen Cook
Sportswear company Diadora was last night blasted for using harrowing footage of the Bradford City fire disaster in a TV ad.
It shows horrific scenes from the blaze which engulfed the main stand at Valley Parade, killing 56 people and injuring more than 300.
The Italian firm launched the advert - called The World Needs To Play More - to coincide with Euro 2004.
It begins with scenes from war-ravaged countries before cutting to the blazing stadium.
The commentary on the internet version says: "Better 90 minutes of play than a minute of silence"
Furious Bradford City said: "We strongly object to the advertisement and are taking the matter up with Diadora."
A source at the cash strapped League One club added: "Diadora has been swamped with complaints from furious viewers. At least 50 e-mails have been sent to the Bradford City website complaining."
The fire broke out on 11 May 1985 when rubbish trapped under wooden terracing caught fire and quickly took hold.
Each year the city holds a memorial service.
A Bradford City spokesman said: "We expect an apology direct from Italy. It will be posted on the website. We have had a verbal apology. They obviously did not realise the sensitivity of the situation."
Diadora said the ad would be withdrawn for a few days for the offending pictures to be removed. It blamed an "error in production" and said it had asked its ad agency for "images of non-accidental violence."
It added "This company seeks to sensitise opinion against all violence and not to cause further discomfort to those whom have suffered it. Moreover, Diadora will be Bradford's technical sponsor for the 2004/05 season, further confirming the inadvertant nature of what happened."
Diadora is not the first Italian company to cause such controversy with advertising.
Clothing firm Bennetton's 1991 poster campaign featuring a bloody newborn baby received 800 complaints.
Three years later it used a picture of the blood-soaked clothes of a soilder killed in the former Yugoslavia.
cornelius:
:o :o :o
Unbeleivable, I mean you couldn't make it up could you? :no
Jonathan Hall ☆☆☆☆☆☆:
Maybe Bradford can sue the bastards? or sell t-shirts showing Mussolini hanging.
Chris.:
Disgusting :wanker
Wholey:
I found this reply on Bradford's rivals MB.
--- Quote ---Reply received from Diadora.
In response to the emails received from the Bradford City AFC fans and atthe request of the club, Diadora wishes to communicate that as from today the spot "The world needs to play more" will be withdrawn and will be reintroduced within the next few days without the pictures referring to the Bradford tragedy. Due to an error in production of this section, not attributable to Diadora,the images referring to the Bradford misfortune were inserted, despite theexpressed request for images of non- accidental violence, made to the bank image company.This spot in fact wishes to be an anthem of sport as an instrument that spreads a culture of peace and against violence in general. To do thisarchive images representing both past and recent moments in history wereused.This Italian company seeks to sensitize public opinion against all forms of violence and not to cause further discomfort to those whom have already suffered it. Moreover, Diadora will be Bradford City AFC's technical sponsor for the 2004/05 season further confirming the inadvertent nature of what has occurred.
Diadora
Web Customer Service
--- End quote ---