Married dating website banned from advertising on London cabs

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 09-Jul-09, 11:30

LONDON - The UK Public Carriage Office, which regulates advertising on vehicles across the UK, has banned married dating website IllicitEncounters.co.uk from advertising on taxi cabs in London.

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

The site, which is a dating service for men and women who are married, was planning a large London-wide campaign on taxis, but the PCO deemed the ad "unsuitable".

IllicitEncounters.co.uk planned to use the tag line: "If you're happy in your marriage, tell your spouse. If you're not, tell someone else's."

Sara Hartley, IllicitEncounters.co.uk spokeswoman, said: "We know there are still thousands of men and women out there who would benefit from our services.

"However, many advertisers have banned our adverts, as they are normally classed as 'adult'.

"The site itself does not carry any mature content, but because of the nature of service, we are often banned from advertising in public areas."

A Toronto-based extra-marital site called AshleyMadison.com commissioned several billboards in the US last year that featured its slogan "Life's too short, have an affair".

The billboards were attacked by moral and religious groups and some were taken down under pressure. Ashley Madison also launched a TV ad at the time.

IllicitEncounters.co.uk has 330,000 members in the UK and has plans to expand internationally.

Comments

Lady_BD - 09/07/2009

Perhaps they should rebrand as www.shesletherselfgo.com or www.cantgetitup.com

Bruce Almond - 10/07/2009

Or maybe with the whole international expansion thing, IllicitEncounters.co.uk should change to MoralExtradition.com? VowQuarantine.com? DicklomaticImmunity.com, ThomasHook.com? Perhaps I'm not cut out for this branding business...

David Rees - 10/07/2009

I have had the same marketing problems. David Rees www.marriedandlooking.co.uk

Tony Richards - 13/07/2009

Its harder marketing more controversial dating sites like www.eliteaffair.co.uk for instance, it will ease as online dating and encounter websites slowly become more socially acceptable.

Sharon Hegarty - 15/07/2009

Maybe I'm a bit too moralistic and still value monogamy and relationships in these uncertain times but I would rather encourage single people to try out our new service www.justcourting.com and find a nice partner through a personal introduction, rather than encourage illicit affairs. But hey thats just my view.

Bruce Almond - 16/07/2009

Well, the fact is there are married people out there still fishing around for more. www.illicitencounters.co.uk can at least boast a certain degree of honesty in it's branding. I don't see anything 'elite' about doing what those people do, so why should it suggest so on the tin?

Stanley - 17/07/2009

@Lady_BD Wow. do you work in the industry? cos your insight and creative flair is being wasted if not.

Carly Nemominsky - 18/07/2009

personally I can see what all the fuss is about. When are people going to realise that they dont need to pay £119 becuase theres pelnty of free options. See loveisthebug