Why the Heinz baked beans advert has been canned

A television advert featuring children, teenagers and adults beating out a rhythm on an empty can of Heinz baked beans has been banned for being dangerous.

Nine viewers complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) that the campaign, which uses the strapline "Learn the #CanSong", encouraged unsafe practice and could be dangerous for children to emulate.

Heinz said the commercial showed people tapping on "safe" surfaces of the cans and that its online tutorials included advice to tape the ends of an empty can as an extra precaution

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However, the ASA said the speed at which the Can Song was played meant it was not always clear that "safe" surfaces were being used. It ordered Heinz not to broadcast the commercial again in its current form.

"Many have criticised the decision as being overcautious and stifling creativity," says The Sun, an opinion expressed more forcefully by Siobhan Freegard, the founder of ChannelMum.com, in the Daily Mirror

"Since when did a simple pleasure like tapping out a tune on a tin can become something for health and safety to shelter us all from?" she asks.

The Daily Mail says ASA's decision could anger people who feel that modern children "are being wrapped in cotton wool and not allowed to play, take responsibility or learn to become independent".

It adds that while handling an empty can might have been a problem in the past, when the lids were removed with a tin opener that left jagged edges, this is less of a problem with the ring-pulls used today.

Advertising Age, the US industry site, says the Can Song could still run on Heinz's social media sites, where the company can provide a safety message for consumers.