The Art Directors Club Czech Republic (ADC) has expelled Marko Prchal, a member and a campaign advisor for Andrej Babiš, the chairman of ANO, from its ranks due to the campaign’s unethical nature. This is the first expulsion of a member in the 30 years of the ADC’s operation. Babiš is facing General Petr Pavel in the second round of the presidential election, and his campaign has faced criticism for billboards with the text “I will not drag the Czechia into war. I am a diplomat. Not a soldier. President Babiš.” Critics have accused him of scaring voters. Babiš has admitted that the text was not successful and has promised to change it. New posters have appeared on billboards with the inscription “The general does not believe in peace” with the postscript “Vote for peace. Vote for Babiš”.

According to the ADC, Babiš’s campaign crosses not only professional but also ethical boundaries. The association’s chairman, David Suda, stated that “using marketing and advertising to spread lies, fear and divide society, even if it is completely shameless and purposeful, is not only immoral, but also dangerous for the future direction of the industry.” Prchal was asked to resign, but he refused. The association then held an extraordinary meeting, where they agreed on his dismissal.

The ADC has also committed to drawing up a code of ethics for political advertising. They want to professionally define the boundaries of honest and fair political campaign marketing. The association has stated that “these, unlike commercial marketing communications, do not yet fall under any control body, despite the huge impact on society.”

The Art Directors Club was founded in 1993 and brings together creatives from communication and branding agencies, design studios, but also independent creative workers, such as copywriters, photographers or illustrators, who work to a significant extent in the field of commercial communication.

Article by Prague Forum