The poster ad in question featured the two characters "Lambert" and his "Butler" preparing for a picnic.
A speech bubble from Lambert's mouth read, "Let's have a picnic, Butler", to which Butler replied in a second speech bubble, "I'll bring 20 friends, sir". The Butler character is shown holding a packet of Lambert & Butler cigarettes.
A complainant to the Advertising Standards Authority objected to the fact that the poster implied that cigarettes were friends and that cigarettes would attract friends, suggesting, the complainant said, that cigarettes made people popular.
Imperial Tobacco said the ad was one of a series that had run for years featuring dialogue between the two fictional characters, Lambert and Butler.
It argued that the ad showed Lambert as having no friends other than his elderly butler and, rather than suggesting social success, it depicted the opposite -- the two characters were about to have a picnic on their own.
Imperial said the irony of the ad was that Lambert had prepared the picnic basket and was carrying it, whereas Butler had simply produced his packet of cigarettes. The ads it said showed the characters as figures of amusement and not as being socially successful.
The campaign, which was created by Mustoe Merriman Herring Levy, appeared on 1,600 outdoor sites across the UK.
The ASA considered that Butler's comment implied that cigarettes were friends and encouraged smoking. It concluded that the advertisement had breached its codes.
Imperial said it had no plans to use the poster again at present.
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