Marketing publication The Drum and partner One Minute Briefs are under serious scrutiny for February's distasteful and shocking "Chip Shop Awards" challenge, which invited submissions for an Oscar Pistorius advertising  campaign following the death of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp and subsequent dropping by Nike's marketing department.

Nike quickly removed their "I am the bullet in the chamber" campaign from circulation following the accusation of murder, with the sprinter on trial for fatally shooting Steenkamp four times through a bathroom door. The trial is set for the 4th of June following Pistorius' posting bail.

"We believe Oscar Pistorius should be afforded due process and we will continue to monitor the situation closely," a Nike spokesman said.

Fashion firm Clarins also said that it would no longer run Thierry Mugler ads featuring Pistorius "out of respect and compassion for the families involved".

Why then, could The Drum not extend this courtesy of respect and compassion themselves? The Drum is an impartial observer on the world of marketing, but this particular take on such a highly-publicised trial for murder appears both insensitive and repugnant - despite their attempted 'disclaimer' above the imagery.
"After taking into consideration the reaction to this article, we want to make it clear that our intention was never to trivialise the tragic news about Reeva Steenkamp’s death, but to highlight the vulnerable position that brands are placed in when their endorsements of high-profile figures such as Oscar Pistorius attract controversy. We offered creatives the opportunity to interpret the brief in their own way. We understand some may deem the brief and the work in bad taste and recommend that if you feel you may be offended please refrain from scrolling down this page."

"Over 400 entries were received in the five hour period" the site proudly claim. The ensuing submissions demonstrate the blackest of gallows humour and are in appalling taste for such a major industry outlet like The Drum. The designs no doubt come from several talented and respected marketers and designers, which makes it all the more galling at the trivialisation and blasé approach to a woman's death, particularly in such tragic circumstances. The Drum's disclaimer is simply a cop-out, absolving them of any wrongdoing as they promote and encourage cheap puns and quips at the victim's expense.

The Drum have brazenly yet to bow to online pressure and disgust, receiving dozens of negative comments at the bottom of the article. It is obvious that The Drum are simply employing some shock-tactics to drive traffic to their site, and they have largely succeeded via the public backlash. But such an insensitive and crass "competition" has only lowered the reputation of the brand in the eyes of the vast majority; a great irony, and a terrible shame.