OUTsurance has been left looking sheepish after it was slammed for an ad showing sheep on the back of a bakkie.

The insurer learnt the hard way that not harming animals in the production of its ads is not enough to keep the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) satisfied.

The body ordered it last month to withdraw an advertisement on television and billboards after it upheld a complaint by the National Council of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA).

The advertisement portrays everyday people and their cars to illustrate that, “no matter who you are or what you drive”, you can save money by insuring your vehicle with OUTsurance.

One of the characters depicted is a farmer. He dances next to his bakkie, which has sheep on the back, as a border collie circles the stationary vehicle.

The NSPCA argued that the advertisement did not meet the standards for the safe transportation of livestock because the sheep in the bakkie were not properly contained with guard rails.

OUTsurance hit back saying that no animals were harmed. It said an inspector from the Animal Anti-Cruelty League (AACL) was present when the advertisment was filmed and had not complained.

It said the animals were never actually on the bakkie. The sheep were filmed inside a pen against the backdrop of a green screen and were later digitally superimposed onto the bakkie.

“The commercial is clearly filmed and broadcast in a fun and over the-top manner. It is merely an innocent scene that cannot reasonably be interpreted as promoting the mistreatment of animals or condoning irresponsible behaviour,” OUTsurance said.

But the ASA disagreed.

"The viewer is oblivious to the production details and the fact that the sheep were never actually placed on the back of the bakkie, and would therefore view this as an illustration of how this farmer likely transports his sheep,” the ASA Directorate said.

Furthermore, the AACL wrote to the ASA saying that if it had known that the sheep were to be superimposed onto the back of a bakkie without guard rails, it would not have approved.

OUTsurance's marketing head Peter Cronje said: “While we respect and shall abide by the ruling of the ASA, we do not agree with the finding…”

He said the advertisement has been removed from all of the insurer's advertising platforms, except for three billboards on which will be replaced soon.

Christine Kuch of the NSPCA said that the organisation, which deals with many cases of improper transportation of livestock, approached the ASA after a complaint made directly to OUTsurance fell on deaf ears.