French Connection store windows currently feature a series of faceless mannequins with their hands covering their mouths, along with the line: "Don't make us say it."
According to a report in the Independent this morning, the new advertising campaign will make reference to FCUK with self-referential phrases such as "Something beginning with F" and "Haven't you had enough influences for one day?" But the campaign will be low-key and not make any other reference to the brand.
There will also be an "anti-ad" for television and cinema created by TBWA\London. It will show young people on a road-trip in the desert with a voiceover asking: "Where do you think you're going?" Later, the one-minute ad asks: "You weren't influenced by the advert, were you?"
TBWA\London is pushing for the ad to be shown on the BBC as a short film because it ends with the line: "Don't you just hate being influenced by the great big offensive logo at the end?" before finishing with a blank screen.
French Connection's share price dropped by more than 10% last month. In previous years, the company has praised the FCUK slogan for a huge boost in sales but it is now accused of being tired.
FCUK was used as an abbreviation by French Connection staff but it was not until Trevor Beattie, the chairman and creative director of TBWA\London, suggested it as a marketing strapline in 1997 that it started to appear on merchandise and in advertising.
Since then it has landed the company in plenty of trouble, with numerous complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority leading to the watchdog slapping a pre-vetting order on the company. For a two-year period French Connection's posters must be cleared before they are allowed to run.
French Connection will continue to sell FCUK-branded merchandise.
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