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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Josie Clarke

Samsung ad slammed as 'tone deaf' after death of Ashling Murphy

A women's safety group have labelled a Samsung campaign as "tone deaf" in light of the death of Ashling Murphy.

Reclaim These Streets described the advert as "ludicrous" after the Irish teacher was killed on a run in January.

The advert shows a woman running through the streets of London at 2am by herself while wearing Samsung headphones.

Read More: Ashling Murphy 'will not be forgotten', Prince Charles tells family

The 23-year-old's death in Tullamore, Co Offaly caused shockwaves and sparked vigils across Ireland and beyond in her memory.

It led to the hashtag #shewasonarun as women shared stories about being harassed while out running.

Jamie Klingler, co-founder of Reclaim These Streets, told the PA news agency: "It's so tone deaf, especially in light of Ashling Murphy's death.

"It's disrespectful. It isn't safe for us to run at night."

Referring to a scene in the ad when a man on a bike rides up behind the woman and they interact, Ms Klingler said: "That's the bit that really made me wince. It's almost laughable how bad this ad is."

Ms Klingler said the ad "absolutely should be pulled".

A screengrab taken from the Samsung Galaxy TV advert (PA)

Esther Newman, editor of the Women's Running magazine and podcast, told PA: "I can't imagine any woman wanting to run at that time, anywhere, certainly not in a city.

"It seems like a really naive advert. In theory it's a lovely idea (to be able to run at 2am). In reality it's not happening."

Ms Newman said 70% of the runners the magazine had surveyed had faced issues around safety.

She said: "The very idea that woman would go out running at 2am and be wearing headphones is absolutely ludicrous.

"I don't think the ad is dangerous because I don't think any woman would see it and think, 'Oh, I'm going to do that'."

Samsung said: "The Night Owls campaign was designed with a positive message in mind: to celebrate individuality and freedom to exercise at all hours.

"It was never our intention to be insensitive to ongoing conversations around women's safety.

"As a global company with a diverse workforce, we apologise for how this may have been received."

Read More: More than €14,000 raised for Women's Aid after Ashling Murphy's death

Read more: Dubliners warned to be vigilant after man accidentally buys stolen car

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