ASA upholds Jaguar mailer complaints
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has censured car manufacturer Jaguar for sending out a mailer ad that suggested its recipient was sexually involved with another person.
Different versions of the ad, which received 37 complaints, were sent to men and women, with one appearing to be personally signed by an Elizabeth Jones and the other from an Ian Major. The ASA judged that the sexual nature of the ads could put a strain on the recipient’s relationship or lead the recipient to believe they were being stalked.
But the body did not reprimand an ad campaign by French Connection, despite a complaint that the ads for its radio station FCUK FM were intended to read “fuck em” and could be seen by children. The ASA concluded the images were not sexualised and were unlikely to cause offence.
The ASA has also upheld an objection to an ad by the Creative Circle, which featured a lipstick stain at the bottom of a shirt with the caption “Zoe. Creative secretary”. The authority ruled that the implication of oral sex could demean women in the ad industry.
