Nip/Tuck advert gets the cut after complaints

AN advert that recommended plastic surgery as a cure for depression has been withdrawn after complaints from mental health groups.

Sky One's billboard campaign for its Nip/Tuck drama series showed a young woman dressed in a red top with the wording: "Sometimes a boob job is the best cure for depression."

Sky claimed the ad was intended to be ironic, but Aware, the support organisation for those with depression, described it as "irresponsible and offensive".

The Advertising Standards Authority said the ad was in breach of advertising standards. In its latest bulletin, the ASAI also upheld complaints from Mental Health Ireland against Smart Telecom. The company produced a newspaper ad which featured a man in a straitjacket with the headline: "Eircom's fixed line price is insane. Switch to Smart Telecom now and stop the madness."

The ASAI agreed with Mental Health Ireland that the ad was stereotypical and a negative portrayal of mental illness.

There were also complaints that a newspaper ad by controversial clothing giants Benetton were "pornographic" and risked exposing children to further dangers. The ad featured a young naked girl with angel wings.

The ASAI ruled that ads should not contain any material that is likely to result in physical, mental or moral harm to children.

Guinness escaped censure for its television ad showing a man diving off the Cliffs of Moher and swimming across the Atlantic. A number of people said the advertisement was offensive to the families of people who had taken their own lives or that it wrongly linked water and heights with alcohol. But the ASAI said the ad did not encourage dangerous behaviour or suicide.

However, Diageo Ireland, the parent company of Guinness, were reprimanded for running newspaper ads targeted at the Institute of Technology in Tralee. Several students and members of the public complained about slogans such as "The Student Life is Thirsty Work. Budweiser the beer that cheers!" and "Budweiser will be there for you during rag week."

Diageo said some of its sales staff had not been made aware of the student alcohol advertising guidelines and this had "possibly resulted" in the slip-up.

A complaint was upheld against Tiger Beer, which claimed its "By the Neck" poster of a man with a woman holding a razor to his neck reflected Far Eastern culture. The ASAI said the ad should not have linked alcohol with aggressive behaviour. The ASAI upheld a complaint against Aer Lingus, which advertised "nine new routes" last October which were not available until this month.