The Advertising Standards Authority has upheld two out of three complaints against the campaign by the owner of the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday. The campaign was sent out in the aftermath of Richard Desmond's purchase of the Express group in November.
The mailshot asked, "The Daily and Sunday Express have just been acquired by a pornographer. Do you really want an X-rated paper in your home? Open this envelope to find out how you could save over £20 and read a paper you and your family can be proud of."
The ASA ruled that the mailing was likely to mislead and that the background of Desmond did not necessarily mean that the Daily and Sunday Express would or had become X-rated.
It also agreed with an objection by Express Newspapers that the mailing was denigratory to the paper, saying the mailing unfairly discredited the editorial integrity of the Express because of Desmond's background in pornography. The ASA asked that Associated change its approach in future.
A further complaint from a member of the public that the claim was likely to alarm recipients was not upheld. The ASA considered that although some readers might be concerned by the change in ownership, most readers were unlikely to be unduly alarmed or distressed.