Durex billboard ad gets ASA rap

Durex is being forced to pull down an execution for its first billboard campaign, which features condoms arranged to form the words “Roger More”, after the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found it to be sexist and offensive.

The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) copy advice team had advised Durex before the campaign broke that this particular execution was likely to cause complaints.

The ASA did not uphold complaints objecting to the “Roger More” execution for being irresponsible on the grounds that it encourages people to indulge in casual sex. The ASA is also investigating complaints against another execution for the Durex Performa brand, which features the word “Ejaculator”. The entire campaign was created by McCann-Erickson Manchester (MW May 1).

The ASA has not upheld complaints against a Procter & Gamble (P&G) Ariel-branded “Schools and Sciences” homework pack, which includes a sample of Ariel washing tablets, a piece of fabric and some tomato ketchup with the aim of getting children to conduct washing experiments to remove the source from the fabric.

The pack was sent to Year 5 and 6 pupils, with instructions to record the number of washes done over a seven-day period, the temperature of the washes, the type of detergent used and the name of the product.

The ASA ruled that the homework pack is unlikely to be considered as an ad masquerading as an educational programme. It added that the pack is advertising material and is subject to advertising codes.

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NTL is contesting an ASA ruling which has asked the advertiser to drop the claim “UK’s No.1 Broadband Internet provider” from its national press campaign, following complaints from rival Freeserve.com

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