ASA to look into Honda ad complaints

A new Honda poster campaign, which shows a speed camera in rainbow colours and uses the tagline “Happy Braking” has triggered complaints from consumers who claim that it encourages speeding.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has received 20 complaints against the ad for promoting a braking system in a way that condones speeding and undermines the serious safety message that speed kills.

The ad campaign was created by Wieden & Kennedy. The ASA is investigating the complaints.

The advertising watchdog has not upheld complaints against Accantia Health & Beauty’s press ads for its Lil-lets tampons brand. The complainants objected that the ad, which showed three illustrative pictures demonstrating how the tampon was coated in a gel, was offensive.

The campaign, created by advertising agency Us, used the strapline: “In research these New Lil-lets scored nine out of ten for insertion, comfort and removal…”

The ASA has also not upheld complaints against a Doritos crisp on-pack promotion for free film rentals and cinema tickets. The front of the pack said: “Blockbuster & Odeon free movies to be won.” The complainants objected that the claim was misleading, because larger packs had a greater chance of containing a gamecard than standard-size packs.