A Marmite ad has courted criticism and an influx of complaints to the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for trivialising the work of animal welfare and child protection agencies.

The ad, created by Adam & Eve and DDB, is filmed in the style of a documentary and features a rescue team visiting a home in West London to follow up reports of neglect in the home.

When the team gets inside they look through the cupboards and are distressed to find a jar of Marmite lost in the back of the pantry.

The team then removes the “stricken jar” in a cage, as the family watches on in shame. A new young rescue recruit is later confronted when he finds a baby sized jar of the spread – “I’ve not seen one that small before” he cries.

Campaign UK reports that the ASA has received 250 complaints over the ad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHjssdNNzP0

Locally, another yeasty spread AussieMite has irked Catholic’s with a spot by ad agency Grown-Ups which shows churchgoers queuing for communion.

When one worshipper reaches the front, she dips her sacramental bread into a jar of AussieMite – prompting the priest to do the same. AussieMite is a challenger brand to Vegemite and Marmite. For more on the campaign click here.