Gabriele Gad - buy one, get woo free!

Gabriele Gad offers an unusual combination of therapies in her "Three in One" package.

Included in the deal are counselling, some homeopathic nonsense described as "flower essences", and something called "Biodynamic massage".


If by some chance you're not familiar with "Biodynamic Massage", you'll be fascinated to learn that

"Unexpressed emotion can settle down in the body as tension, creating energy blockages and leading to illness. These blockages can be dissolved with certain massage techniques... A stethoscope on the stomach can give an acoustic feedback from within and direct the therapist to where the energy is blocked and to [sic] what is needed to release it."

Can Gabriele's buy one, get two free offer "help you with... asthma... arthritis... repetitive strain injury..."?

ASA complaint follows! (Flyer available here)

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

The leaflet, for Gabriele Gad, promotes a "Three in One Therapy" for a number of named medical problems.

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

1. The leaflet offers a "Three in One Therapy", which consists of "Biodynamic massage", "Counselling" and "homeopathic remedies".

2. The "Biodynamic massage" is described thus:

"Unexpressed emotion can settle down in the body as tension, creating energy blockages and leading to illness. These blockages can be dissolved with certain massage techniques... A stethoscope on the stomach can give an acoustic feedback from within and direct the therapist to where the energy is blocked and to [sic] what is needed to release it."

3. Under Section 12.1, I challenge whether the advertiser can substantiate her claim that the "Three in One Therapy" can "help you with" an "illness" such as "asthma", "arthritis" and "repetitive strain injury".

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