Inverness City Advertiser rapped for implying ‘recreational and illegal drug use’
The Inverness City Advertiser has been ordered to cease reproduction of a controversial ‘weekly fix’ ad for its Whatsonhighlands.com website, after it was deemed by the Advertising Standards Authority to imply ‘recreational and illegal drug use.”
Incorporating a picture of a hypodermic syringe and needle the printed ad and mailshot read, ‘inject some fun into your life, sign up today.”
A total of five complaints were received, with the ASA agreeing that it was likely to elicit serious and widespread offence amongst those who saw it.
Denying that the piece was ‘irresponsible’ however the publisher stated that the advert appeared as part of a longer run of similar ads which incorporated the word ‘fix’and various hobbies and habits. It also argued that the syringe was a metaphor for the ‘injection of information’.
In a statement the ASA wrote: “We told [the company] not to use text and imagery which implied illegal drug use.”