ASA investigates Carling ad
Coors Brewers’ new poster campaign for Carling Extra Cold, which shows a wedding cake cracking underneath the weight of the bride figurine, has triggered complaints that it is insensitive to overweight people.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has so far received seven complaints, on the grounds of offensiveness and cruelty. The complaints are being investigated.
The campaign was created by Leith Advertising Agency, which handles advertising for the Carling brand.
Carling Extra Cold is ordinary Carling lager, served from the same keg, but run through a special cooling system. The brewer claims this ensures that it is always served super-chilled.
The brand extension was launched last year.
Separately, the ASA has upheld a complaint against Thomas Cook Retail for claiming in a poster ad that “You won’t find a cheaper flight online”. The ad compared Thomas Cook’s prices to rivals, including British Airways, KLM, Qantas, Virgin Atlantic, American Airlines, Lufthansa, Emirates and bmi.
Complaints against a claim by online telephone directory company 192.com that it is cheaper than BT’s 192 service have also been upheld.
According to the ASA, the claim unfairly denigrated BT’s 192 service.
