ASA bans a Clairvoyant from advertising
Just reading this story in the Media Guardian – it’s a hotly debated topic with the ASA, as they insit on physical evidence to support any claim you make in an advert. How do you do this with clairvoyancing and mediumship?
any thoughts?…
Just reading this story in the Media Guardian – it’s a hotly debated topic with the ASA, as they insit on physical evidence to support any claim you make in an advert. How do you do this with clairvoyancing and mediumship?
any thoughts?…
In Manchester, a clairvoyant has been banned from claiming she could cure everything from depression to witchcraft as she can’t prove it http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/1080808_advert_ban_for_clairvoyant
Sister Charlotte, a Chorlton-based reader of crystal balls, tarot cards and palms, claimed to solve problems in love, marriage, business, exams and immigration. She was challenged by the Advertising Standards Authority and ordered to tone down her extravagant ads. A man had complained that her leaflet claimed a 100% success rate.
"A man phoned out of the blue asking how I can claim to do all this," she said. "But I don’t claim to cure cancer or solve devastating marriage problems.
"I speak to my clients. They tell me I am effective at removing negative energies and relieving their physical, emotional and spiritual problems.
"I am 100% successful with people who come to see me. If someone does not think the treatment works, I give them a refund. Some people don’t understand."
The ASA demanded evidence of Sister Charlotte’s abilities. Its findings: "We considered claims that marketers could successfully solve all problems, break curses, banish evil spirits, improve the health, wealth, love life, happiness or other circumstances of readers should be avoided because they were likely to be impossible to prove. Sister Charlotte’s claims were unsubstantiated and likely to mislead."
The ASA has received 174 complaints about 171 psychics’ ads over the past two years. A spokesman said cracking down on the small number was important to avoid misleading the public.
I’d agree that the
I’d agree that the implication of her advert guaranteeing a positive result would possibly mislead and exploit vulnerable or desperate individuals. So on that basis the ASA’s actions were justified.
On the other hand, I’ve seen adverts from clairvoyants which offer no more than a kind of spiritual counselling complimented by tarot cards, crystal balls and other accessories – they make no claims of success rates or as offering a ‘quick-fix’ alternative to their secular equivalents. That, I don’t have any issues with and, I hope well-meaning clairvoyants won’t be stigmatised.
I suspect if the need for
I suspect if the need for physical proof was generally applied there wouldnt be many adverts left…
steve_ash wrote:
I
[quote=steve_ash] I suspect if the need for physical proof was generally applied there wouldnt be many adverts left…[/quote]
I think you have it in a nutshell there. Lynx deoderant has never had the same effect as the adverts for me. I think I will complain 🙂
Ha haaaa!
Ha haaaa!
I wonder how this would
I wonder how this would affect somewhere advertising they were haunted? Would they have to prove it?