The poster, created by the Cardiff-based design agency Escape to ... Design to showcase its services, depicted a rugby player being crucified and featured the company's website address, freesexandchocolate.com.
The ad only appeared on one poster site, but a front-page story on a local newspaper criticising the image is likely to have led to some of the complaints. A total of eight complaints were received, claiming that the poster mocked Christianity and was offensive.
Escape to ... Design has registered the domain name freesexandchocolate.com because, through research, it has determined that they are the most evocative words in advertising. The agency told the Advertising Standards Authority that it had chose the crucifixion image because it believed it drew attention to the problems facing Welsh rugby and that it was analogous to the religious way people followed the sport.
Pete Surna, director of Escape to ... Design, said that the ad was not intended to be offensive. "In terms of responses, I'd say the ratio was nine positive to one negative. We've had nice emails of support from the industry, most of them appreciate what we're trying to do."
Surna also said the ad had had an "incredible positive effect on new business".
However, the ASA adjudicated against the agency, saying that the ad was likely to cause serious or widespread offence, and has asked it not to use the ad again. Surna said that the poster company has been instructed to remove the ad.
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