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May 2006

Warnie hair ads banned in Britain

May 2006

Shane Warne will continue to feature in a hair-loss treatment advertisement aired on Australian TV, despite the British advertising regulator ruling against it.

Spin bowler Warne's appearance in the Advanced Hair Studio advert was seen as celebrity endorsement of a treatment which uses medicine, the UK's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said.

The Hampshire captain's image appeared beneath a headline reading: "Advanced Hair, Yeah, Yeah!", followed by the phrase: "Warnie, Warnie, Warnie".

The 36-year-old was quoted as saying: "I've been hearing it for years but to me I've always taken it as a warning.

"And that warning was that if I didn't do something about my hair loss they may well have been chanting baldy!"

The ad referred to a treatment called advanced laser therapy, which uses a medicine called minoxidil.

After investigating complaints about the campaign, the British standards watchdog concluded the ad breached the code because it used a celebrity endorsement for a medical treatment.

Advanced Hair Studio also was warned not to mention the laser treatment in future campaigns using Warne.

But the company said the decision would not effect screening of the ads in Australia.

"The decision by the ASA in the UK does not relate to or have any effect on the operation or advertising of AHS in Australia and New Zealand," the company said in a statement.

Advanced Hair Studio also claimed the ASA had given it conflicting advice.

"We acted in good faith in light of that advice, only for the ASA to move the goal posts," the company said, adding it would appeal against the decision.

In a different case earlier this year, the ASA ruled that a "So where the bloody hell are you?" campaign by the Australian Tourist Board was a light-hearted play on Australian informality and did not breach the code on decency.

The ASA had received complaints that the phrase was offensive and inappropriate.