The Daily Observer London Desk: Reporter- Kathryn Williams
Persuading people to buy life insurance is not easy. When young, we believe we’re invincible and have no need. Only when we purchase a family home and take on a mortgage is it seriously considered – and even then, many eschew it.
This may explain why some companies are using shock tactics to get people to consider cover, which pays out a tax-free lump sum in the event of death. In isolated cases, the tactics are more sickening than shocking.
The latest advert from DeadHappy, an online seller of life insurance underwritten by Cheshire-based Shepherds Friendly Society, is as distasteful as they come.
Sick: The DeadHappy Facebook advert featuring Harold Shipman
Appearing on Facebook, it contains a picture of serial murderer Dr Harold Shipman with an accompanying strapline saying: ‘Life insurance. Because you never know who your doctor might be.’
For those who have forgotten Shipman – or missed the 2002 ITV drama Harold Shipman: Doctor Death, starring James Bolam – he was convicted in January 2000 of murdering 15 elderly patients in his care. He is also suspected of being responsible for a further 250 deaths. He committed suicide in 2004 while serving a life sentence at Wakefield Prison in Yorkshire
DeadHappy likes to push the boundaries. Its catchline is ‘life insurance to die for’ while previous adverts have included a picture of a pigeon pooping alongside the words: ‘We think life insurance is s#*! So we redesigned it.’
But the Shipman advert is a step too far. Certainly, financial protection advisers think so.
They have been laying into DeadHappy via online financial publication FTAdviser – stating the advert is disrespectful to the families of those murdered by Shipman. One relative of a victim took to social media to say to DeadHappy: ‘Your latest advert utilising his image is despicable and unacceptable.’ The advert is also defamatory of the medical profession.
Shepherds Friendly Society isn’t impressed either. It told me: ‘We have expressed our view to DeadHappy that the advert distributed on social media featuring Harold Shipman was distasteful and inappropriate.
‘We are committed to our values and this does not align with them. We asked DeadHappy to remove the advert immediately and are currently investigating this matter further.’ On Wednesday, I asked Alan Knott, founder of DeadHappy, whether the advert would be withdrawn – he avoided the question.
But he did say: ‘We are aware of the provocative (and to some the very shocking) nature of our brand. But being provocative is different to being offensive and it is of course never our intention to offend or upset people.
‘It is our intention to make people stop and think.’
On Friday, Knott softened his stance and admitted that the Shipman advert was out of order. He said: ‘We have made a mistake. We will now go away and immediately review all of our current and future marketing campaigns.’
Some people have already reported the advert to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), an organisation that knows DeadHappy quite well. In 2019, it banned its advert of a man leaning his head against a wall with the strapline (again): ‘Life insurance to die for.’
The ASA concluded the advert trivialised suicide.
If you want to complain about the Shipman advert, contact asa.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
