Sunday Business aims to attract upmarket readers

The Independent Television Commission has upheld a complaint against The Observer by the agents for actor Ewan McGregor.

The complaint concerns an advertisement created by Ogilvy & Mather for the The Observer’s film and TV section, Screen.

The ad, promoting a forthcoming edition on “the politics of casting”, depicted a youth ripping down posters for the film Trainspotting, knifing the CD of the film’s soundtrack, destroying a video of the film and burning the screenplay. Simultaneously a voiceover asked “How does Ewan McGregor feel about superstar Leonardo Di Caprio getting his part in The Beach? Has he forgiven his great pal Danny Boyle for doing it?” The ad closed on a picture of McGregor titled “Ewan McGregor Very Moody”.

McGregor’s agents complained the ad portrayed him without his consent and in a manner that was offensive. They also complained the commercial was misleading as to the content of the newspaper.

An Observer spokeswoman says: “We don’t believe the ad was derogatory but the ITC has made its ruling and we will accept it.”