A Miracle Cure for Societal Malaise

Often I spend a few hours researching and submitting a complaint because of an advert that's dangerous, implausible or just plain misleading.

Sometimes, though, I do it just because the advert makes me laugh.

Let me introduce you to International Flower Essence Repertoire of Argyll!

(Image credit)

Some of the sprays pictured are claimed to have the usual wacky properties, namely

"protection against electromagnetic pollution"

and

"help with adjusting to the local time-zone after long distance air travel"

The punchline, though, is this claim for the firm's "Positive Flow Aura Spray".

"Positive flow was created to help one deal more effectively with the global economic challenges of this time. Positive Flow has a strong action on both the solar plexus as well as the...eyebrows...Positive Flow helps us to cut through the societal malaise brought about by the media's incessant reporting of financial bad news..."

ASA complaint follows! (The flyer is available here, here, here and here)

"I write to complain about a flyer I picked up at the CamExpo exhibition in London on 24th October this year.

The flyer, for www.healingorchids.com, promotes various "aura-cleansing sprays".

I suspect that the flyer may be in breach of the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing (CAP Code). I can provide the original flyer by post, if necessary.

1. Under Section 3.7 (or 12.1) I challenge whether the advertisers can substantiate any of the following claims:

(i) "Electromagnetic pollution such as mobile phone masts, cordless phones in houses and offices, and wireless internet 'hotspots' all contribute to erratic sleep patterns. In the UK by far the worst source of sleep disruption is the national network of Tetra masts for the police...This 'electro-caffeine' is broadcast 24 hours a day throughout the year...Gentle Sleep [can] help address this government-funded assault on our sleep patterns. Gentle sleep helps one to achieve a deeper and more relaxed sleep..."

(ii) "Soul Shield Psychic Protection Aura Spray provides protection for the body's aura or a living space against the incursion of negative psychic energies..."

(iii) "Temple of Light Aura Spray...meet[s] a specific problem in that there can be an incongruity between the Bai-Hui point and the inner chamber of the heart chakra...Real healing is frustrated...To bring about a rapid resolution of this problem, this essence was called into being..."

(iv) The "Being Present Travel & Therapy Aura Spray" is "very helpful for adjusting to the local time-zone after long distance air travel..." and can cause the "healing work of [a complementary] therapist" to be "deeper & more effective"

(v) The "Angelic Canopy Aura & Space Cleansing Spray" is "very powerful" at "clearing...office & living spaces of negative energies" and "cleansing [healing] crystals"

(vi) The "Positive Flow Aura Spray" helps to "cut through the societal malaise brought about by the media's incessant reporting of financial bad news..."

2. I confirm I have no connections with the advertiser. I confirm I am not involved in legal proceedings with the advertiser."