No FCUK posters without advice

25 October 2004

The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) - the industry arm of the self-regulatory system for non-broadcast advertising - has ordered French Connection to pre-vet all its posters for the next two years.

The decision follows a ruling by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upholding a complaint against posters for the advertisers' radio station - FCUK FM. The posters stated "FCUK FM FROM PNUK TO RCOK AND BACK. NON-STOP FNUK. FCUK FM". The ASA concluded that the posters would cause offence because readers would interpret the FCUK-trademark as the expletive "fuck". In previous rulings, the Authority had warned the advertisers against using their trademark where it would be interpreted in this manner.

All future posters for FCUK-branded merchandise will now need to be approved by the CAP Copy Advice team before poster contractors will accept them for display across the UK.

Commenting on the pre-vetting requirement, Roger Wisbey, Secretary of CAP, said "French Connection has been warned against using its trademark in a way that many find offensive. The poster pre-vet procedure was introduced for advertisers who have complaints upheld against their posters on the grounds of taste and decency or social responsibility. The latest ruling shows that the advertisers still need some guidance in this area, which our Copy Advice team will be able to give."