A poster reading “Dawn French is a huge pussy” has been approved by the advertising watchdog after complaints that it could cause serious or widespread infringement.
The advertisement for the actress and comedian’s upcoming UK tour, seen in Sunday Times Culture on December 4, included an image in French and the caption: “Back due to increased demand.”
Two people complained that it could cause widespread or widespread crime.
Promoter Phil McIntyre Live said it was unfortunate that the ads offended people who complained, but that the title of the show was humorous and intended to insult the French.
They stated that they would not announce the show’s title in media or on websites that do not allow them to use it in full or require them to hide some characters.
They further explained that the term in question is used by many people, including the French, in their daily lives.
The Sunday Times said it had no comment and would await the outcome of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) investigation, but confirmed it had not received any complaints about the ad.
The ASA said the ad appeared in Sunday Times Culture magazine and evaluated it against that outlet’s potential audience.
The agency said the word “twat” would likely offend fans, but admitted it was headlined by the live French tour.
The ASA said: “We considered that most readers would likely know who Dawn French is and her style of comedy, and that use of the word would be understood by readers as self-mocking and irony, rather than using it, for example, in a sexual context.”
We understood that the word twat written in full was in keeping with the editorial style of The Sunday Times and that the word reflected a similar use of language in editorial sections of the newspaper where the word was used in its entirety, without any asterisks.
Based on the foregoing, we have concluded that while some readers may have found the advertisement in poor taste, it is unlikely that it will cause serious or widespread offense to its audience, and we have concluded that it does not break the law.
The ASA decided that no further action was necessary.
