ASA Lets Off Q

The ASA allowed Emap’s Q music magazine to get away with the use of “outdated cliches” in an ad campaign, despite the fact that one complainant failed to appreciate the irony.

The posters in the campaign, devised by Mother, were in the style of car maintenance manuals, showing labelled drawings of a limosuine and a van. The “Cadillac Limo” included labels for “$20 bill (rolled)” and “Chauffeur/pimp”. Two women lounging in the back were labelled “executive relief”. The complainant said that this advert was demeaning to women.

The second poster, “Ford Transit”, included labels for “fake disabled sticker”, “chips with curry sauce” and “communal condom”. The complainant thought that this last label was in bad taste and showed a disregard for health issues such as AIDS.

The advertisers said that the “widely recognised and outdated cliches” had been used to advertise a popular music magazine because they bore no relation to contemporary attitudes and therefore challenged, rather than promoted, macho attitudes to women and sex. The Authority considered that the posters were likely to be seen in this ironic light, and would therefore be unlikely to either promote irresponsible behaviour or cause serious or widespread offence.

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

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