Honda flip-flop over C4’s ‘exploitative’ Big Fat Gypsy Wedding billboards

Mike Doherty reports

HONDA – a major sponsor of Channel 4 - has added to the controversy over the national billboard adverts for the Channel 4 TV series; Big Fat Gypsy Weddings, by first supporting the campaign to get them taken down – and then changing their minds and backing Channel 4.

The huge billboards depict scenes and characters from the second series of the ‘reality’ TV show and have provoked fury from Gypsies and Travellers and Traveller campaign groups, who say that they exploit Traveller children and encourage settled people to mock Gypsy and Traveller culture.

On Tuesday the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain received an email that appeared to support the campaign to have the billboards taken down. It said: “Honda does not have any editorial say or control in the content of the posters. We would not want to be associated with any racist comment which we deplore and I would add, we have informed C4 of our unhappiness with this poster campaign.”

Yet in a statement released the next day, Honda – who has sponsorship deals with Channel 4 worth millions of pounds – revealed that it had changed its mind and valued its “great long-term partnership with Channel 4”. Responding to the Daily Mirror, Honda also said:"Debate creates controversy and the Big Fat Gypsy Wedding series has done both. Honda will continue to work with Channel 4."

One billboard in particular depicts three very young Traveller girls posing in pretty dresses and make-up and the billboard can be seen by the public all over the country. The billboard has a strapline – or title – which reads “Bigger, Fatter, Gypsier”.

Responding to Honda’s U-turn, Yvonne MacNamara of the Irish Traveller Movement in Britain said: “We would like to remind Honda that the ‘debate’ offered by C4 has sparked an increase in the bullying and abuse of Gypsy and Traveller children. Honda sells family cars and we are surprised that it now supports C4’s decision to put up posters of young Traveller girls. In the context of their own community these are innocent and playful Traveller children – yet these billboards have destroyed that context and made them vulnerable targets for public ridicule – or worse.”