Jason Pike's magic salt rituals

Have you ever wanted to win £1411? Author Jason Pike can help you out!

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Jason's advert boasts that "salt rites" have all kinds of magical effects, such as influencing games of chance, protecting against other people's bad thoughts and quelling violent children.

This American advert from 2001, apparently promoting the same book, is a real hoot.

I imagine that Jason forgot to conduct a "salt rite" against my "thoughts and actions", and as a result, here comes a complaint to the ASA!

"I write to complain about an advert which appears in Nexus Magazine (June-July 2010, Vol 17, No 4, p64).

The advert, for "Jason Pike", promotes a book extolling the virtues of "salt magic rites".

I suspect that the advert may be in breach of three sections of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP) code. I can provide an original copy of the advert by post, if required.

1. The advert promotes a publication which details how the following feats can be achieved:

(i) Salt rites "[bring] Money - Influence Another Person's Thoughts & Actions - ...Protect Against Physical Injury - Salt Rite[s can help] To Get A Job"
(ii) "...sprinkling salt outside your front door could keep an unwanted person away"
(iii) Salt should be "sprinkle[d]...on important documents; on lottery coupons!"

2. Testimonials presented by the advert imply:

(i) Salt rites can cause multiple wins on the Pools
(ii) Salt rites can affect the behaviour of violent children
(iii) Salt rites can lead to other financial rewards ("I won £1411")
(iv) Salt rites can cause "money has come into [someone's] home in different ways" in sufficient quantities to have "paid off...debts"

3. Under Section 57.4 (q) of the CAP Code, I challenge whether the advert "exploit[s] cultural beliefs or traditions about gambling or luck", and 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 3.3, I challenge whether the advert "exaggerate[s] the value, accuracy, scientific validity or practical usefulness of the product".

5. 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."