As I noted in a previous blog, someone rather bizarrely decided to complain to the Advertising Standards Association about the use of the phrase ‘UK’s only professional Money Saving Expert’ in my publisher’s ad for my book (Read that blog).
It was such an absurd complaint, that after chatting with my publisher, we decided we couldn’t be bothered to spend the time contesting it (I’ve got more than my hands full focusing on saving people money). Though we did of course use the right to reply. However in it we noted we wouldn’t use the phrase any more as it really makes very little difference.
My publisher’s just had a reply back from the ASA stating “we are satisfied that you have backed up the claims” and that it understands the “difference between the idea of Martin Lewis as a Money Saving Expert (using his specific philosophy and techniques) and the merely descriptive use of the term ‘money-saving’. To reiterate, we are happy at this stage that, in our opinion, the advertisement is unlikely to mislead for the reasons that the complainant suggests.”
While of course I’m not happy a complaint was made it’s great to see MoneySaving as a unique discipline being accepted by such a body.
