Russian gov't steps in to rescue Santa

The Russian government has banned a television advertisement for denying the existence of Father Christmas. The ad for Eto electrical stores stated Father Frost, Russia's version of Father Christmas, did not exist. Russian gov't steps in to rescue Santa The Federal anti-Monopoly Service said the ad had broken rules for advertisers not to discredit parents and teachers. It said that declaring that Father Frost did not exist implied that parents were not telling the truth, so undermining children's trust in them. The ad "induces negative relations between children and parents", Andrei Kashevarov, the service's deputy director, told Rossiiskaya Gazeta. The advertiser, Eto, defended its commercial, saying it was aimed at adults.

Russian gov't steps in to rescue Santa

The Federal anti-Monopoly Service said the ad had broken rules for advertisers not to discredit parents and teachers.

It said that declaring that Father Frost did not exist implied that parents were not telling the truth, so undermining children's trust in them.

The ad "induces negative relations between children and parents", Andrei Kashevarov, the service's deputy director, told Rossiiskaya Gazeta.

The advertiser, Eto, defended its commercial, saying it was aimed at adults.