Advertising: Scrubbers get spanked after quickie

The British Advertising Standards Agency has upheld a complaint against a Luton based car wash company called, "Scrubbers."

A leaflet which the company claims was only meant to be sent to companies or left on windscreens in company car parks, ended up at the home of the complainant.

The complainant stated that "the circular featured a cartoon of a large-breasted woman covered in soap suds and holding a hose. Text stated "The best hand job in town! *IN 'N' OUT AND A POLISH OFF *THE QUICKIE *THE FULL MONTY *PERSONAL SERVICE". The complainant objected that the mailing was offensive and demeaning, particularly because it could be seen by children."

The ASA which consistently gives the impression that it is some sort of sideshow in a 1950s corporate theme park, upheld the complaint.

"The advertisers said they had produced the leaflet following a previous adjudication by the ASA on a regional press advertisement that featured the same cartoon. They pointed out that the ASA had not upheld the previous complaint. They said the leaflet had been mailed to companies and was also left on the windscreens of cars in company car parks where they did not think they would cause offence to children.

The Authority noted the complainant had received the leaflet unsolicited at home, and not at a company address. It concluded that the leaflet, when used as a circular, was likely to cause serious or widespread offence and was inappropriate to be viewed by children. The Authority told the advertisers to take more care with the distribution of their future advertisements and not to use similar advertisements as circulars."