Firms' adverts disguised as parking tickets banned

Two companies' promotional fliers that were designed to look like parking tickets have been banned by the advertising watchdog.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said it had upheld complaints made about leaflets from the indoor golf venue Golf Fang Liverpool, and Parc, a car parking app.

ASA ruled the adverts, which were all wrapped in yellow and black plastic and placed on windscreens in Liverpool and Manchester, risked causing "unjustifiable distress".

Golf Fang subsequently said it would not re-run what it described as "a short promotional campaign". Parc apologised and said it would make sure future campaigns were "obviously identifiable" as adverts from the outset

ASA said the Golf Fang leaflet was first seen in April and featured the words "PENALTY CHARGE NOTICED ENCLOSED", and "WARNING, it is an offence for any person other than the driver to remove this notice".

But inside the flier was an assurance that the driver had not been fined, and instead listed a link to the company's website.

Parc's flyer was reported in February and March, and featured a similar message inside apologising for giving the recipient "a scare".

"This isn't a real parking fine, but if you did actually get one today, that's exactly the kind of stress we're trying to stop," it said.

ASA said the CAP Code (UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing) states marketing campaigns "must be obviously identifiable as such and must make clear their commercial intent".

"Marketing communications must not cause fear or distress without justifiable reason; if it could be justified, the fear or distress should not be excessive.

"The Code also required marketers not to use a shocking claim or image merely to attract attention," the ruling read.

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