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Hair Loss News Archives
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.