Marks and Spencer latest menswear range, called SP, is being promoted by their having photographed models wearing the clothes at a greyhound stadium. These photos tend to be displayed in the windows of their shops, and cynically several photos have a black of white picture of a greyhound looking up at you with a sad expression on its face, while the models laugh as they place their bets. The clothes range also features a t-shirt of two racing greyhounds with racing jackets on, which can be viewed on the companies website (www.marksandspencers.com).

Several people have emailed, telephoned and written and although there has been assurances that the posters will be removed, they haven't as yet and there is no sign that M&S plan to withdraw the clothing range.

Next Saturday 11th October, we propose to picket Marks and Spencers store in Princes Street, Edinburgh. We hope as many people as possible can turn out for this.

If anyone can organise a picket outside their local M&S - you only need a couple of people, please post here. This gets the plight of greyhounds highlighted in the media and may even get a few new homes!

Please crosspost!

More details on our website:

www.greyhoundactionscotland.org.uk

marks & spencers

greyhound action

I was in M and S on Saturday (how i hate shopping! ) and didn't see any of the promotional material: i kept an eye out specially. I emailed them but it went to the wrong addy, i will try again.

Good luck with the demo, :)

Best wishes
Lindsay

I could'nt find the ads here either. Good luck with your demo, we are holding one on 10th Oct. outside the Freeads office. Having been in correspondence with them for three years as they are one of the worst offenders in promoting puppy farmers, apart from Admag, Admart, Admail, Loot and Friday Ads.

UPDATE

Just to let you know the new developments regarding Marks and
Spencer's.

Thank you to everyone who wrote to M&S regarding this and I
understand the same standard email went out to everyone stating that
they were withdrawing the advertising campaign. However I have had
reports regarding the pictures and the offending clothing still
being in stores.

I contacted Princes Street, Edinburgh branch and asked to speak with
someone about this. I spoke to a Murray Lockanby who is the
Regional Manager. He panicked when he heard that we were planning
to target the store on Saturday and nearly had kittens when I
suggested that the Edinburgh store is not the only store that will
be targeted. He fully admitted that the M&S in Princes Street have
still got the posters and the clothing range on display. He has had
no directive from his head office stating that this should be
removed or that the campaign has ceased.

However Murray defended the campaign by saying that this was just a
picture of a greyhound - like a picture of a terrier. I stated to
him that it is a picture of a racing greyhound at a greyhound track
which sheds a different light on it. He said the campaign is aimed
towards the type of people who buy this range of clothing who 'may'
be the types to enjoy a night out at the dogs, although he quickly
said that this is not the case for Scotland. I also asked him if he
would have pictures promoting fox-hunting if he believed that this
would target such people - he admitted no they wouldn't and he could
see my point... I advised him that we want the pictures and the
clothing with pictures of racing greyhounds on them removed
otherwise we will be going ahead and picketing stores including
Princes Street. I also stated that we will be contacting the press
for support and fully expect to get it. He said he would look into
this and call me back which he did. He had spoken to someone from
the Edinburgh store in London who was personally going to speak to
the Sales, menswear and SP range promoters about it and assured me
he would get back to me tomorrow morning.

If this is not withdrawn by tomorrow evening - that means we visible
see no signs of the campaign in store, we will issue press releases
stating what our issue is. This also gives us a lead in to issuing
a further release before Saturday if they withdraw the campaign -
further publicising our cause or if they do not plan to do anything,
we go ahead giving them negative publicity. However if they come
back stating that they will remove the range and the promotion, then
we will ask them to issue a press release saying why.

Will update when I hear more.