FCUK mail order catalogue work deemed offensive

by Jules Grant,, Brand Republic 31-Mar-04, 07:00

LONDON - The ASA has asked French Connection UK not to use its trademark FCUK logo in unsolicited catalogues targeting new customers when it could be construed as a rude word.

The move comes after a member of the public received the FCUK mail order catalogue unsolicited and complained to the Advertising Standards Authority that slogans on the brand's T-shirts were offensive.

The range of slogans included: "Sexy as FCUK", "Cheeky as FCUK", "Inter-course activities FCUK polytechnic", "If you lose something, let it go free, if it doesn't come back, who gives a FCUK. The End", "No FCUKing angel", "FCUK like a bunny", "FCUK ewe", "FCUK up", "FCUK off", "FCUK you" and "FCUK King".

French Connection maintained that the catalogue was distributed to its existing customers and to additional customers as a result of mailing lists bought from third parties. It said that the bought lists were screened through the Mailing Preference Service and third-party opt-out data to ensure that the catalogue was sent only to customers who had agreed to receive correspondence from French Connection.

It added that the FCUK brand appears in shops throughout the country. THe company argued that because the awareness of the brand was high throughout the UK and that the catalogue was clearly visible through the polybag in which it was mailed, recipients would be familiar with the mailing and would unlikely be offended by it.

However the ASA decided that not all recipients would be aware of the FCUK brand, including those who had agreed to receive to the mailing and that because FCUK could be interpreted as "fuck", it may be offensive to some recipients.

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