Ban for P&G Ad Based on Dubious Survey

The UK's Advertising Standards Association has ordered consumer product manufacturer Procter & Gamble to pull a TV advert for Clairol hair dye, which makes misleading claims about the results of a survey.

The firm claimed that of the 245 readers of Red Magazine who were polled, 93% said they would recommend the Clairol product Nice 'n' Easy to a friend.

Respondents were selected via an e-mail sent to Red subscribers who had registered as members of the magazine's reader panel. However, the readers had completed the survey in return for entering a competition to win a photo shoot in New York, or a £50 John Lewis gift voucher.

Survey participants had to confirm they were Red readers, were given a free sample of hair dye, and then asked to complete a questionnaire about their experiences of using it. They also had to write a short story and send a picture of themselves with their new hair colour.

According to the ASA, participants may have been inclined to be less than impartial in order to stand a better chance of winning the holiday.

In its ruling, the watchdog stated: 'We considered it was possible that some of the people who completed the survey might not have been Red readers; they might have said they were just to enter the prize draw. We concluded that the survey's results did not substantiate the claims, and those claims were likely to mislead.'

The ad, which breached the ASA's broadcasting codes, must not be shown again in its current form.

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.