An advert for clothing brand Endrick Clothing has been banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) due to its glamorisation of smoking. The advert was filmed at the wedding of reality TV stars Vicky Pattison and Ercan Ramadan and shows the groom and groomsmen smoking cigars whilst wearing the brand’s clothing. The ASA upheld two complaints, citing the advert as irresponsible and pointing out that it presented smoking in an appealing way, suggesting it was part of a glamourous and aspirational lifestyle.
The video was shared on Ramadan and Pattison’s Instagram accounts and viewed by her 5.5 million followers. Despite the ban, the adverts remain on their accounts. The brand has been ordered to ensure that future advertising adheres to socially responsible marketing communication guidelines, and the couple has confirmed that all future Endrick Clothing posts will be labelled as ads.
Pattison and Ramadan married at London’s Marylebone Town Hall in August, and a subsequent wedding and party were filmed for an E4 TV show titled Vicky Pattison: My Big Fat Geordie Wedding. Ramadan’s company, Endrick Clothing, is based in Waltham Abbey, Essex. The ASA also criticised the couple for failing to respond to the investigation and Ramadan for not making it clear that the video was an advert.
Whilst the adverts may no longer run in their original form, they will continue to exist as a permanent presence on social media accounts, raising the question of whether there needs to be new guidance or regulations for social media advertising that promote harmful substances
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