Update: Virulent Video

[Trigger warning for transphobia]

On Tuesday, I posted about an advertisement for Always pads that's been making its way around the Internet.

Liss recently received a statement from Leo Burnett UK, the agency responsible for the film:

All creative agencies will look at different creative ideas to push boundaries and engage consumers. We will occasionally make test films to try and bring an idea to life without a request from the client. These films are for internal use only, for us to understand the power of an idea and are not for publication. The creative was never commissioned nor approved by P&G. We regret this has been made public without our approval or authorization and apologise for any offence caused.

Essentially, someone at Leo Burnett UK, leaked a copy of the video. Oh, and if any passive-tense offence was caused, the agency apologizes.

I still have a few questions.

Where's Proctor and Gamble in all of this? Somebody leaked an unauthorized advertisement for one of their products. You'd think this would call for a statement. Is P&G waiting to see what happens with the video, before they take a stand, possibly absolving themselves of any involvement?

Why did Leo Burnett UK make this ad in the first place? Don't clients typically give ad agencies reasonably clear parameters for the design of marketing campaigns? I mean, I doubt Leo Burnett would have devoted the resources to put together this video if they thought there was zero chance P&G would actually use it, or more to the point, if they thought it would offend their paying client.

I'm willing to buy Leo Burnett UK's assertion that something unfortunate happened, but I have to say, I think they and I might be talking about different things.