*Phentraform UK Ltd - up to their old tricks

After my last three complaints, I was sure Phentraform UK would sit down and re-evaluate their marketing campaign.

What was the result?

Have they decided to do the right thing?

Have they sent back their unsold boxes of Quickslimmers, closed down their business and issued a sincere apology to all their customers?

Errr... no. Phentraform are back in this week's Rotherham Record (adverts available here).

UPDATE, 31 May: The ASA have replied to convey Phentraform's explanation. According to them, Phentraform say the advert was published in error, and will not be published again. Amazingly enough, that was the same excuse they gave last time!

(Image credit)

This dainty damsel, by the way, is Evette (woof woof!)

When she finds this blogpost, perhaps she could pass on a little message for me?

"Attention Phentraform Marketing Executives! Yes, I really do check every single newspaper in the UK."

Yet another ASA complaint follows. Potentially twenty-six breaches of the CAP code, by my count.

"I write to complain about two adverts which appeared in the "Rotherham Record" (April 21, 2010, p19).

Both adverts, which are almost adjacent to each other, are for Phentraform UK Ltd (Quickslimmers).

I have submitted complaints about Quickslimmers adverts in the past; for the avoidance of doubt, neither of the adverts in the "Rotherham Record" matches adverts I have brought to your attention in the past.

I don't have a hard copy of the newspaper, but it can be found at the newspaper archive site, PageSuite, at the following address:

http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/digital_editions/Page19_a69de8e9-0f56-4d8e-8476-92fe800826d2_d4f11fe2-d994-475e-a04e-754db1a9417b.aspx

For your convenience, I enclose scans of the two adverts in question.

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of fourteen sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

1. The first advert (black background) states:

"'I lost 9lbs in 1k with' Quickslimmers
A Revolutionary, New, Natural, Appetite Suppressant and Fat Burner"

2. Under Section 2.1, I challenge whether the text of the advert is "honest and truthful".

3. Under Section 2.2, I challenge whether the advert has been "prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society".

4. Under Section 6.1, I challenge whether the advert's weight loss claims "exploits the credulity, lack of knowledge or inexperience of consumers".

5. Under Section 7.1, I challenge whether the advert's weight loss claims are misleading "by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise".

6. Under Section 14.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds signed and dated proof, including a contact address, for the testimonial ("I lost 9lbs in 1wk with") appearing in the advert:

7. Under Section 14.3, I challenge whether the testimonial is supported, where necessary, with independent evidence of its accuracy.

8. Under Sections 3.1 and 51.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims made for the effectiveness of the product are backed if appropriate by rigorous trials on people:

(i) Quickslimmer tablets are natural
(ii) Quickslimmer tablets suppress the appetite
(iii) Quickslimmer tablets burn fat

9. Under Section 51.2, I challenge whether the advertiser is offering to the public a treatment for obesity without suitably qualified supervision.

10. Under Section 51.3, I challenge whether the advert is likely to appeal to people in whom the advertised weight reduction of "9lbs in 1wk" would "produce a potentially harmful body weight".

11. Under Section 51.4, I challenge whether the advertiser has shown that weight reduction is achieved by loss of body fat before making claims for Quickslimmers.

12. Under Section 51.8, I challenge whether the advertiser:

(i) Makes clear how Quickslimmers tablets work
(ii) Gives prominence to the role of diet

13. Under Section 51.9, I challenge whether the advertiser claims that "people can lose precise amounts of weight within a stated period".

14. Under Section 51.10, I challenge whether the advertiser's claims are "compatible with good medical and nutritional practice".

15. The second advert (white background) states:

"Trying to Lose Weight? Diet Failing? Always Hungry? No Energy? You Need Quickslimmers! The UK's Most Powerful and Effective Natural Slimming Pills"

16. Under Section 2.1, I challenge whether the text of the advert is "honest and truthful".

17. Under Section 2.2, I challenge whether the advert has been "prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society".

18. Under Section 6.1, I challenge whether the advert's weight loss claims "exploits the credulity, lack of knowledge or inexperience of consumers".

19. Under Section 7.1, I challenge whether the advert's weight loss claims are misleading "by inaccuracy, ambiguity, exaggeration, omission or otherwise".

20. Under Sections 3.1 and 51.1, I challenge whether the advertiser holds documentary evidence to prove the following claim, and I challenge whether the claim made for the effectiveness of the product is backed if appropriate by rigorous trials on people:

(i) Quickslimmer pills are "The UK's Most Powerful and Effective Natural Slimming Pills"

21. Under Section 51.2, I challenge whether the advertiser is offering to the public a treatment for obesity without suitably qualified supervision.

22. Under Section 51.4, I challenge whether the advertiser has shown that weight reduction is achieved by loss of body fat before making claims for Quickslimmers.

23. Under Section 51.8, I challenge whether the advertiser:

(i) Makes clear how Quickslimmers tablets work
(ii) Gives prominence to the role of diet

24. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser or the magazine. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the magazine."

*Phentraform UK Ltd - yet another miracle diet pill

Some adverts are so small that they almost escape the notice.

Almost.

(Image credit - captions are mine)

The accompanying website is usually a dead giveaway, though, as in the case of these miracle diet pills, tastefully promoted on the site by "Danielle, 23". (Ding, dong!)

Yet another ASA complaint follows. Those guys must really hate me by now.

UPDATE, 27 Mar: ASA reply "...we have now received a response from Quickslimmers. They have agreed to remove the ad and the claim relating weight loss and the efficacy of the pills they sell."

UPDATE, 31 Mar: An identical advert appears again in this week's Luton News, and also in the Herald and Post! The ASA have been notified (see below)...

UPDATE, 7 Apr: Phentraform UK make a guest star appearance on today's ASA list of informally resolved cases

"I write to complain about an advert published in the Luton Herald and Post on Thursday, March 4th, 2010.

The advert, for Phentraform UK Ltd, is entitled "Lose up to 12lbs in 2 weeks with Quickslimmers".

I have submitted a scan of the advert. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

I suspect that the advert is in breach of two sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code.

1. The Herald and Post is a free newspaper distributed weekly in Luton, in South Bedfordshire.

2. The Thursday, March 4th, 2010 issue (page 53) carried an advert entitled "Lose up to 12lbs in 2 weeks with Quickslimmers". The advert promoted "Quickslimmers", a "natural" diet pill.

3. The CAP Code, Section 3.1, states "Before distributing or submitting a marketing communication for publication, marketers must hold documentary evidence to prove all claims, whether direct or implied, that are capable of objective substantiation."

4. The CAP Code, Section 50.1, states "Medical and scientific claims made about beauty and health-related products should be backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people..."

4. I challenge whether Phentraform UK Ltd hold documentary evidence to prove any of the following claims, and I challenge whether the claims are backed by evidence, where appropriate consisting of trials conducted on people:

(i) Dieters can lose up to 12lbs in 2 weeks with Quickslimmers;
(ii) Quickslimmers are a "natural" diet pill.

5. I confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser, the Herald and Post, or with the publishing industry in general. I confirm that I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser or the Herald and Post.

6. I confirm that I am happy to be identified as the complainant."

This is the second complaint, which I submitted on 31st March.

"I write to complain about an advert published in the "Luton News" newspaper on 31st March, 2010 (p89).

The advert, for Phentraform UK, is entitled "Lose up to 12lbs in 2 weeks with Quickslimmers".

The advert is, in fact, identical to an advert about which I submitted a complaint on 4th March. I received written responses from you on 24th March (quote A10-120296/HF/ts) and 25th March (A10-120296).

In the latter, you wrote "...we have now received a response from Quickslimmers. They have agreed to remove the ad and the claims relating to weight loss and the efficacy of the pills they sell."

It appears that the advertiser has not abided by this agreement.

I enclose a scan of the advert from today's Luton News."

This is the third complaint, which I submitted on 6th April.

"I write to complain about an advert published in the Luton 'Herald and Post' newspaper on 1st April, 2010 (p63).

The advert, for Phentraform UK, is entitled "Lose up to 12lbs in 2 weeks with Quickslimmers".

The advert is, in fact, identical to an advert about which I submitted a complaint on 4th March. I received written responses from you on 24th March (quote A10-120296/HF/ts) and 25th March (A10-120296).

In the latter, you wrote "...we have now received a response from Quickslimmers. They have agreed to remove the ad and the claims relating to weight loss and the efficacy of the pills they sell."

I submitted a further complaint on 31st March about another identical advert which appeared in the 'Luton News' that day.

It appears that the advertiser has not abided by their agreement.

I enclose a scan of the advert from the 'Herald and Post'."