ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram

Market by The Drum

Jun.29.2022

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has directed Chinese e-cigarette brand Relx and Geordie Shore star Louis Shaw to stop promoting nicotine-containing e-cigarettes on Instagram.

In December 2021 an Instagram story on Shaw’s account showed a hand holding two boxes containing unlicensed e-cigarettes with the brand name RELX, with text stating: ‘@RELXUK’ and ‘GET YOUR OWN – RELAX WITH 15% OFF – LOUISXMAS15.’ This 15% discount code for the product was considered promotional by the ASA.

ASA orders Relx and Louis Shaw to stop promoting e-cigarettes on Instagram — ASA directs Relx and Louis Shaw to not promote e-cigarettes on Instagram in future

The ad also featured text saying, ‘This product contains nicotine, which is a highly addictive substance.’

The ASA concluded that it breached the Cap Code (Edition 12) 2.1, 2.3 and 22.12.

The post was investigated on two grounds:

The complainant challenged whether the ad did not make clear its commercial intent

The ASA challenged whether the ad breached the code by promoting unlicensed, nicotine-containing e-cigarettes and their components on Instagram

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