Advertising hocus pocus not allowed
As regular readers of Mumbrella will be aware, Australia’s Ad Standards Board is often asked to deal with some pretty random complaints.
But possibly none as good as this adjudication by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority:
It reports the ad as this:
A circular, for Mr Latif, stated “MR LATIF 24-HOUR RESULT. NOBODY CAN BEAT LATIF BORN GIFTED!!! If you have a problem that has not been solved by anyone in this world or think your problem is impossible to solve, ring Latif immediately. Your entire problem will be fulfilled in SEVEN DAYS. For example; business financial, career, depression, separated from the person you love, domestic problems regarding husband, wife, children, health, exams, court cases, immigration, studies and sexual impotency or any other problems. Physical sport improvement, to be high rank, to be a winner. JUST ASK? No matter what your problems are I can help you to solve them in seven days. Latif’s work is 100% guaranteed, breaking black magic and evil spirits in 48 hours. If any healer has left your work incomplete or unsuccessful see Latif immediately. Latif has the high knowledge of removing problems from people. THE RESULT: Believable Call MR LATIF now for an appointment …”.
You may have also spotted the problem with the ad. The ASA reports: “The complainant challenged whether the claims were misleading and could be substantiated.”
The watchdog goes on to report that Mr Latif sadly didn’t respond to its invitation to prove his claims to be true.
Upholding the complaint, it observes: “We considered that claims that marketers would successfully solve all problems, break curses or black magic, banish evil spirits and improve the health, wealth, love life, happiness or other circumstances of readers should be avoided.”
