The police leadership has condemned the use of it’s image, as content in a controversial commercial advert for juice, and directed the company owners to pull down all the adverts from the media.
The directive over an advert for a juice brand popularly known as “Jesa Jus” was communicated by police spokesperson Fred Enanga, on Monday, during the weekly press briefing at the forces’ headquarters in Naguru.
The TV Ad, deceptively suggests that a traffic officer, during a normal traffic enforcement routine, stopped a driver for inspection but immediately compromised, with a pack of JESA JUS, by the panicky driver. After receiving the juice pack and drinking it, the traffic officer left the driver to proceed without inspection in his words “You can go.”
“The Ad made reference to the traffic police, as being corrupt and easily bribed by “JESA JUS”. The driver is seen, allegedly bribing a traffic officer with a packet of JESA JUS in front of children and he lets them off the hook.” Enanga stated.
Enanga also says, the advert deceptively suggests that the police leadership endorses the product of “JESA JUS” and further supports, the campaign to market, sell and drink the product, which is not true.
“It therefore, draws a link between the traffic officer, the driver and children. The driver and children are depicted as traffic violators.” He noted.
The advert, according to police, also promotes acts of bribery among children that you can easily buy your way out, once caught up in a compromising situation.
“It reinforces negative perceptions by children against police, and appearance of a lookalike traffic officer, and the use of the police uniform without the express permission of the IGP is strictly prohibited, since it is fully gazetted.” He notes before adding;
“As a result, we demand that the commercial firm, pulls out the traffic police content or the entire advert, and halts any further displays on TV, radios and other digital platforms. Failure to do so, will call for sanction in the civil court of law, by the Directorate of Legal and Human Rights Services” Enanga adds.
Police also urged all intending marketers and Ad producers to always seek authorization or usage of the police image and content before producing any commercial advert.