ASA Raps Letts Educational For Encouraging Bullying

The ASA has upheld complaints against Letts Educational, which provides exam, study and revision guides, for an advertising campaign that appeared to encourage bullying.

The campaign to promote an online GCSE curriculum quiz, comprised a series of promotional postcards, which stated either “I Am A Wimp” or “I Am A Big Wuss”. The postcards were distributed in schools and were intended to encourage practical jokes by stating: “Stick on the back of a mate who doesn’t have the bottle for the Letts Challenge.”

The advertisers insisted that they did not condone or excuse bullying and argued that the humour and innocence of the postcards was intended to encourage friendly competition between pupils participating in the quiz.

They regretted that the campaign has caused a child to have a “bad experience”, but were satisfied that the postcards provoked good-natured, healthy competition, rather than violence or anti-social behaviour.

The ASA noted the advertiser’s comments, but concluded that the postcards could encourage bullying. The Authority upheld the complaints and ordered the advertisers not to use the same approach again.

Earlier this month the ASA refused to censure a poster for Bacardi-Martini despite complaints that it linked alcohol with aggression and violence (see Bacardi Cleared Of Linking Vinnie Jones With Violence).

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk

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