Peacenik Sheen has Visa ad withdrawn

A popular advertisement for Visa credit cards featuring Martin Sheen has been pulled from American TV – reportedly because of the vocal actor’s outspoken anti-war stance.

According to TV insiders, the star’s high-profile campaigning against a US-led invasion of Iraq has signalled the end of his and his son’s lucrative deal with the credit card company.

One says: “Visa has been getting tons of complaints based on his war stance. Visa was running the Sheen ads with the Yao Ming ads. But last week, they pulled Sheen’s ad right after all the hullabaloo over his anti-war remarks hit the press.”

However, a spokesperson for Visa explains to the Los Angeles Times: “After airing for more than four months, the Visa television commercial featuring Martin and Charlie Sheen concluded its run on March 11. As with many Visa commercials, this spot aired for a specific period of time, and is now being rotated out of the advertising line-up.

“Mr Sheen is part of a long list of celebrities that we use or have used - from Yao Ming to Bob Dole to Kevin Bacon – to promote the Visa Check Card. While these celebrities play a role in our spots, they in no way represent the views of Visa. Likewise, Visa does not use its advertising to make political statements, and neither the spot nor the conclusion of its run should be interpreted as one.”