The mailing arrived in a plain white envelope that gave no clue to the identity of the advertiser and featured a small hole, surrounded by burn marks and designed to look like a bullet hole, going from one side to the other.
The hole device continued inside the letter, with the headline "faster than a speeding", next to the hole. The mailing aimed to convey the message that Virgin Media's broadband was faster than a speeding bullet.
The complainants questioned the acceptability of the use of an envelope that appeared to have sustained a gunshot, with five saying it was inappropriate due to the recent rise in gun crime.
The recipients challenged whether the advert was likely to cause widespread offence and unnecessary fear or distress.
The ASA did not uphold their complaints, arguing that the bullet hole was likely to be recognised as a gimmick, but did itself challenge whether the envelope made clear that it contained marketing material.
Virgin argued that the instances in which the envelope was addressed to "The Occupier" suggested the content was marketing material.
However, the ASA upheld its own complaint and told Virgin Media to ensure that in future mailings envelopes should state clearly that they contained marketing material.
Comments
LeeH - 18/06/2008
Good god! Does the inane and unnecessary whinging ever stop! Next time let's send life sized panthers in the post, they're pretty fast!
Please get a life people; faster than a speeding bullet if possible!
"Recent rise in gun crime" - actually, gun crime has fallen in the past couple of years, so clearly these complainers have no idea what they're talking about. I've half a mind to hunt these people down and show them a bit of gun crime myself
The problem is that this was bullet a hole through the envelope and the envelope was ananyomous. It shows a complete lack of sensitivity to real people going about their daily business - why should they be subjected to it? This could land in the hands of old people, insecure people, people who have recently been victims of violent crime, all without invitation, and casuing untold stress and unhappiness- and why? - because some out of touch marketeer thought it would look 'like, really cool man!'. Companies with such high profiles should behave which much more responsibility or even just basic consideration and politeness for the public.
LeeH - 18/06/2008
To be fair I haven't seen the mailer and have never shot a real gun through an envelope (why on earth would anyone want to??? Waste of a bullet and an envelope!), but I would suspect the two methods of altering said envelope (printing vs shooting) would result in dramatically different results! Hence I am still confused as to the offence? If it is the sheer notion that anything associated with guns shouldn't be allowed on an unsolicited basis into households then we need a blanket ban on a majority of film trailers, soap trailers, etc, etc as these could also be misconstrued as relating to gun crime.
I think one thing needs to be put straight here... The item did NOT depict 'gun crime'. If this had been a flyer from Lakeland showing the image of a knife would the same 10 people have complained about the rising levels of knife crime? I doubt it!
When will we stop being so hyper-sensitive about everything. It's a bloody mailer with a hole in it!!!
OK, blood pressure back to normal. Have a nice day :o)
I didn't see the mailer either - but I did read the original article which gives a prettiy clear description: 'The mailing arrived in a plain white envelope that gave no clue to the identity of the advertiser and featured a small hole, surrounded by burn marks and designed to look like a bullet hole, going from one side to the other.'
The point is the medium used: trailers, soaps are all environments where to see a gun or such like could be expected. The inappropriateness of this as a mailing seems obvious to me, but to spell it out; imagine a person such as I described above, perhaps living alone, coming down the stairs in the morning and seeing an anonymous white envelope with an authentic looking bullet hole through it. Surely it is not beyond our capacity to come up with a more life-enhancing way to communicate the fact that Virgin can give you speedy internet access?
LeeH - 18/06/2008
I guess things like this are always a matter of personal choice and opinion! I do take your point but if we were to market for all of the people all of the time then we'd live in a pretty dull world!
In many ways this shows the flaws of DM. No personal connection, no way to tailor the messaging, etc. It's easy to critique a creative piece based on personal likes and dislikes but, for me, I kinda like the creative explained in the original story. However, I do also take your point that this landing on the mat of a frail 75 year old man/woman could cause distress and is probably totally irrelevant to them anyway (75 year old's generally aren't to bothered about lightening speed internet speeds!... OMG, that's what they should do next! Throw down 1m volts from a helicopter into all UK households (sorry, couldn't resist that one, lol)) ;o)
But surely their data dept wouldn't allow them to send mail to a frail 75 year old who's recently been the victim of gun crime and has eyesight so terrible they can't tell the difference between a die-cut hole and an actual bullet hole. It's a data issue, not a creative issue.
LeeH - 18/06/2008
Good point! Evidenced by the fact that I'm a young professional that's pissed off with the service I get from AOL yet I've never even seen this mailer (I'd quite like to after talking about is so much!). I'm a prime target for this one!
Another pathetic piece of marketing from a knacker who thinks they are creative but probably failed in all meaningful academic pusuits at school. Marketing junk should be expressly labelled as such so that in can be binned. "creative piece" you make it sound like this pissant junk is the result of original thought. When will you losers ever wake up.
I received this mailing and i thought it was like, really cool man. Didn't take any further action though! I am amazed people can be offended by this, take it for what it is intended to be: an attention grabbing gimmick.
LeeH - 19/06/2008
Now, now Roy - no need for name calling! Referring to others as "losers" sounds like the ramblings of someone that "failed in all meaningful academic pusuits at school". One cannot deny that this was a "creative piece" even if, quite evidently, it doesn't float your boat or come up to your creative standards. Clearly some like it and some hate - that's life though pal :o)
well what a lot of dialog! give it up and move on with your lives! cos you might miss the next pict of advertising that needs a big debate ! and you all wouldn't want to miss that would you ?
Comments
LeeH - 18/06/2008
Good god! Does the inane and unnecessary whinging ever stop! Next time let's send life sized panthers in the post, they're pretty fast! Please get a life people; faster than a speeding bullet if possible!
Johnny Watters - 18/06/2008
"Recent rise in gun crime" - actually, gun crime has fallen in the past couple of years, so clearly these complainers have no idea what they're talking about. I've half a mind to hunt these people down and show them a bit of gun crime myself
PHILIP HEWITT - 18/06/2008
The problem is that this was bullet a hole through the envelope and the envelope was ananyomous. It shows a complete lack of sensitivity to real people going about their daily business - why should they be subjected to it? This could land in the hands of old people, insecure people, people who have recently been victims of violent crime, all without invitation, and casuing untold stress and unhappiness- and why? - because some out of touch marketeer thought it would look 'like, really cool man!'. Companies with such high profiles should behave which much more responsibility or even just basic consideration and politeness for the public.
LeeH - 18/06/2008
To be fair I haven't seen the mailer and have never shot a real gun through an envelope (why on earth would anyone want to??? Waste of a bullet and an envelope!), but I would suspect the two methods of altering said envelope (printing vs shooting) would result in dramatically different results! Hence I am still confused as to the offence? If it is the sheer notion that anything associated with guns shouldn't be allowed on an unsolicited basis into households then we need a blanket ban on a majority of film trailers, soap trailers, etc, etc as these could also be misconstrued as relating to gun crime. I think one thing needs to be put straight here... The item did NOT depict 'gun crime'. If this had been a flyer from Lakeland showing the image of a knife would the same 10 people have complained about the rising levels of knife crime? I doubt it! When will we stop being so hyper-sensitive about everything. It's a bloody mailer with a hole in it!!! OK, blood pressure back to normal. Have a nice day :o)
PHILIP HEWITT - 18/06/2008
I didn't see the mailer either - but I did read the original article which gives a prettiy clear description: 'The mailing arrived in a plain white envelope that gave no clue to the identity of the advertiser and featured a small hole, surrounded by burn marks and designed to look like a bullet hole, going from one side to the other.'
The point is the medium used: trailers, soaps are all environments where to see a gun or such like could be expected. The inappropriateness of this as a mailing seems obvious to me, but to spell it out; imagine a person such as I described above, perhaps living alone, coming down the stairs in the morning and seeing an anonymous white envelope with an authentic looking bullet hole through it. Surely it is not beyond our capacity to come up with a more life-enhancing way to communicate the fact that Virgin can give you speedy internet access?
LeeH - 18/06/2008
I guess things like this are always a matter of personal choice and opinion! I do take your point but if we were to market for all of the people all of the time then we'd live in a pretty dull world! In many ways this shows the flaws of DM. No personal connection, no way to tailor the messaging, etc. It's easy to critique a creative piece based on personal likes and dislikes but, for me, I kinda like the creative explained in the original story. However, I do also take your point that this landing on the mat of a frail 75 year old man/woman could cause distress and is probably totally irrelevant to them anyway (75 year old's generally aren't to bothered about lightening speed internet speeds!... OMG, that's what they should do next! Throw down 1m volts from a helicopter into all UK households (sorry, couldn't resist that one, lol)) ;o)
Johnny Watters - 18/06/2008
But surely their data dept wouldn't allow them to send mail to a frail 75 year old who's recently been the victim of gun crime and has eyesight so terrible they can't tell the difference between a die-cut hole and an actual bullet hole. It's a data issue, not a creative issue.
LeeH - 18/06/2008
Good point! Evidenced by the fact that I'm a young professional that's pissed off with the service I get from AOL yet I've never even seen this mailer (I'd quite like to after talking about is so much!). I'm a prime target for this one!
roy marks - 19/06/2008
Another pathetic piece of marketing from a knacker who thinks they are creative but probably failed in all meaningful academic pusuits at school. Marketing junk should be expressly labelled as such so that in can be binned. "creative piece" you make it sound like this pissant junk is the result of original thought. When will you losers ever wake up.
Robert Clements - 19/06/2008
I received this mailing and i thought it was like, really cool man. Didn't take any further action though! I am amazed people can be offended by this, take it for what it is intended to be: an attention grabbing gimmick.
LeeH - 19/06/2008
Now, now Roy - no need for name calling! Referring to others as "losers" sounds like the ramblings of someone that "failed in all meaningful academic pusuits at school". One cannot deny that this was a "creative piece" even if, quite evidently, it doesn't float your boat or come up to your creative standards. Clearly some like it and some hate - that's life though pal :o)
paul mogg - 20/06/2008
well what a lot of dialog! give it up and move on with your lives! cos you might miss the next pict of advertising that needs a big debate ! and you all wouldn't want to miss that would you ?