Longer Lasting Sex

A New Zealand billboard offering "longer lasting sex" to advertise a remedy for male sexual dysfunction has been ruled offensive and in breach of advertising standards.

The Advertising Standards Authority upheld 38 complaints received about the billboard for the Advanced Medical Institute.

The billboard had the words Want Longer Lasting Sex? and a phone number in red lettering on a yellow background. In the bottom left-hand corner in black type were the words Nasal Delivery Technology Call the Doctors at Advanced Medical Institute.

Complainants said the billboard was near two schools and there was a high likelihood it would be seen by children. They said it was not clear what the actual product was and the dominant message was sex.

Upholding the complaints, the authority acknowledged that premature ejaculation affected about 30% of men. But it said it was conscious of the public concern at using billboards to advertise matters relating to personal health problems.

It said the combination of the wording, large type size, bold colours and overall size of the billboards promoting a product for adult men to assist with a personal health problem was likely to cause widespread offence. This was particularly so as it was visible to a very wide audience, including children.

An advertising billboard proclaiming Want Longer Lasting Sex? has prompted nutter complaints.

The medical reference is in the bottom left-hand corner, in much smaller type, which reads : Nasal Delivery Technology- Call the Doctors at Advanced Medical Institute.

Almost 200 hoardings in bold red on yellow print have appeared in and around London. The adverts will soon be rolled out across the UK.

The campaign from the Advanced Medical Institute in Australia has already been
banned in its native country.

Last night the Advertising Standards Authority said it had launched a formal investigation into the campaign, which has provoked 249 complaints in eight days. An ASA spokesman said the number of complaints was a high volume for such a short space of time.

The general nature of the complaints is that the ad is offensive, gratuitous and inappropriate for public display, especially as it is unsuitable to be seen by children, he said.

Last night nutter Conservative MP Ann Widdecombe said she was dismayed when she noticed one of the billboards near her London home.

What do you say to a child if you are driving along and the child says “what does that mean mummy?". Advertisements are supposed to be decent and truthful – and these billboards are not decent.

Susan Hall, a prude councillor in the London borough of Harrow, which complained about the billboards, said they make the Club 18-30 package holiday company adverts look
like nuanced triumphs of understatement. We are no prudes, ...BUT... there is a difference between adverts which are a little risque – like the Wonderbra commercials – and billboards like these which are just crass.

Dr Michael Spira of AMI said: We've said all along that we're not out to offend anyone – the purpose of our direct advertising is to let men who are suffering sexual problems know that help is available.

Nutters have accused the ASA, Britain's advertising regulator, of failing to take action over a billboard campaign which attracted almost 300 complaints.

The firm behind the posters - which are 30 feet wide with the question Want Longer Lasting Sex? has voluntarily taken them down them from several sites after local nutter protests.

The ASA is waiting until its officers have completed a report into the case due next Friday, Jan 9. The month-long advertising campaign will have run its course and the posters will be in the process of being taken down regardless of the ASA's ultimate ruling.

An ASA spokesman said: If an advert is deemed to have caused widespread harm and offence we can order its immediate removal. This is rare and was not felt to be the case on this occasion.

Ann Widdecombe, nutter Conservative MP for Maidstone and the Weald, said the posters should have been taken down immediately: The ASA should have used its powers to suspend the advert while it was carrying out an investigation, rather than waiting until its investigation was complete . These posters are horrible and offensive, particularly at this time of year. People do not want to be confronted by them, especially if they have children with them.

The billboard campaign is intended to promote the Advanced Medical Institute (AMI), a company which markets a nasal spray said to cure impotency. It has two clinics in the UK. AMI commissioned Titan - one of Britain's biggest outdoor advertising agencies - to put up 190 of the hoardings around London, where the clinics are located.

After more than 80 residents in Barnet, north London, complained about the wording and the size of the posters, two were removed from sites at Mill Hill, and outside Edgware Hospital. Brian Gordon, a Barnet councillor, said: It might seem old fashioned, but people around here believe there should be some degree of modicum when it comes to matters of a sexual nature. It is a victory, alas rare these days, for public decency.

Another of the billboards, sited in Harrow, north-west London, was covered up following similar complaints from residents. The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea also forced the removal of one of the adverts.

In all, Titan have removed 10 of the billboards including a number which had been placed near schools and places of worship. In one case, the poster was placed within sight of a mosque in south London. On being told an important religious ceremony was due to take place at the mosque, Titan moved quickly to remove the billboard. The company also removed one from close to a school and church in Wimbledon, south London, following complaints.

Steve Cox, Titan's marketing director, said: We have to be sensitive because it is so public. But of itself the advert is not indecent. It's about a promoting a medical product to alleviate a genuine medical complaint. We felt the advert was legal, decent, honest and truthful, but in some cases we have taken it down following complaints or after being made aware a particular billboard was insensitively located.

The company behind a Want Longer Lasting Sex? ad campaign for a nasal spray is defying an order to take down its posters by the advertising censor.

The Advanced Medical Institute said it would not take down the posters for the prescription nasal spray, arguing that men have a right to know how to perform better in bed.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled against the advert after receiving 458 complaints and sent AMI a letter ordering the company to remove the campaign. The posters, which promote a nasal delivery technology , have been running on 196 billboard sites across the country.

Whingers have complained to the ASA that the AMI campaign is offensive and causes widespread offence. The ASA is to launch an official investigation into the campaign, but has invoked its power to demand the removal of the posters before this process begins.

Today the watchdog said it had asked AMI to remove the billboards because they advertise a prescription-only medicine. Under the advertising code, which reflects UK law, prescription-only medicine is not allowed to be advertised directly to the general public.

However, AMI responded that it would not take down the ads. We are happy to co-operate with the ASA's investigation process, but it's important for all parties concerned that it [the campaign] is able to run its course, said the AMI Europe medical director, Michael Spira: We must not overreact: this isn't the first time sex has been used in an advertising campaign. Even as we speak posters for [the film] Sex Drive are appearing all over London.

The ASA said that if AMI refused to co-operate it would take action to remove the ads. This could include discussing the issue with billboard site owners or with the media buying and creative advertising agencies involved with the campaign.

A poster for AMI Clinic Ltd (AMI) stated in large, prominent lettering WANT LONGER LASTING SEX? The word 'SEX' appeared in very large lettering. Smaller text stated NASAL DELIVERY TECHNOLOGY CALL THE DOCTORS AT ADVANCED MEDICAL INSTITUTE.

1. 521 complainants believed the poster was offensive and, therefore, unsuitable for display in public locations, which included near schools and in areas with a high Jewish population, where it could be seen by children
    
2. The ASA challenged whether the poster advertised an unlicensed medicine.

ASA Assessment
1. Upheld

The ASA noted AMI's argument that the poster delivered their message in a blunt and direct manner, which included the word 'SEX' in large lettering, but incorporated no swearing, suggestive imagery or nudity. We also noted, however, a number of people who had seen the posters had felt that the language used was offensive and inappropriate for general public display.

We understood that many people also considered the posters' bright colours and very large text, including the word 'SEX' to attract attention, was unsubtle and crass. We also understood that the word 'SEX', in itself, had caused concern in many cases and, in the context of WANT LONGER LASTING SEX?, which related directly to sexual intercourse, had also caused embarrassment amongst some parents or guardians who had been quizzed about its meaning by children. A number of complainants pointed out to us that the sheer size and prominence of the message made it impossible to avoid, which they found very uncomfortable.

We recognised that the sensitive nature of the message AMI wanted to deliver about their product and the treatment programmes they offered could be intrusive to some readers under any circumstances. We also noted the poster contained nothing explicit, and considered that the word 'sex' was not necessarily problematic in itself. We considered, however, that the style and tone of this ad, with direct reference to sexual intercourse through the phrase Want longer lasting sex? , was presented in too stark and prominent a manner, and as a result were concerned that it had caused both serious and widespread offence.

In view of this, we concluded that the poster was unsuitable for public display.

2. Upheld

We noted that the medicine was available by prescription only and that AMI did not hold a marketing authorisation for any medicines prescribed as part of their treatment programmes. We therefore concluded that the poster had indirectly advertised an unlicensed medicine, which was available only on prescription, to the public.