ASA Slams Ministry Magazine For “Free Drugs” Mailing
The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld complaints against Ministry magazine over a direct mailing bearing the caption “Free Drugs”. Complainants, including one from the Glasgow Association of Family Support Group, said that the mailing condoned drug-taking and gave the impression that people who sent for the mag would receive free drugs.
In its defence the clubbing magazine argued that its mailings had been sent on request and said that the issue in question provided features on the role of drugs in society and was its best-selling edition of the year. “Free drugs” referred to the free availability of drugs in today’s society, the magazine said.
The ASA acknowledged that the magazine had targeted its audience and its content presented a balanced approach to drug-taking. It nevertheless considered that the reference to free drugs was likely to be seen, at worst, as condoning drug taking and, at best, encouraging apathy towards drugs.
The Authority also upheld a complaint against Conde Nast over its claim to publish ‘The World’s Best-Selling Bridal Magazine’. AIM Publications, which owns You and Your Wedding, objected to the claim on the front cover and spine of Conde Nast’s Brides and Setting Up Home.
The complainants said that its bridal magazine had a higher UK circulation than that of Conde Nast’s and that Conde Nast’s sister publication, published in the US, was not the same title. Conde Nast defended its claim, which it said was based on a combination of the circulation of the Brides titles in the UK and the US. It argued that differences between the titles’ content were irrelevant and that other publishers made similar claims on global sales.
The ASA noted that the UK version of the mag was launched over 20 years after the US version and they did not share editorial or other content. Even the titles of the two mags differ, the US version having the shorter title Brides. The Authority considered that readers would assume the claim referred either to its UK magazine or to a set of magazines with the same content. As this was not the case the Authority concluded that Conde Nast had not justified the claim and asked them not to repeat it.
Advertising Standards Authority: 020 7580 5555