The ad, created by Bartle Bogle Hegarty and Flightpath Media, targeted young holiday-makers by appearing in a field under the Gatwick flightpath. It showed two females and an aroused male figure -- causing controversy with local authorities and countryside campaigners, and attracting the interest of the national press.
Coverage saw it top the July Ads that Make News survey, produced by media industry PR specialist and , which measures editorial coverage about ads in national newspapers and, as such, is a barometer of the UK's most high-profile current ad campaigns.
Propeller Communications director Martin Loat said: "This is brilliant example of the Ads that Make News genre. The announcement alone attracted headlines as the media loved the idea of a British institution being so saucily updated. The mock-up picture, showing this modern-day Cerne Abbas man in an aroused state, helped achieve standout."
Another ad created by BBH was the second most-written about last month. The ad was created for Barclays bank and showed a man being stung by a bee and falling in a lake. More than 270 people complained about the spot, saying that it mocked anaphylactic shock. Barclays responded with an apology and a £10,000 donation to the .
Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO's hard-hitting anti-smoking campaign for the Department of Health came in at number three on the list. The £6.3m campaign is designed to get young adults to contemplate the damage that smoking will do to their looks and sex life by warning men that they risk impotence and women that far from making them look beautiful, smoking can ruin their skin and teeth.
Complaints about Mother's work for Fanta Z saw the spot come in at number four in this month's Ads that Make News. The ad provoked 272 complaints because it showed people sipping the drink then spitting it out. The Advertising Standards Authority agreed that it encouraged young people to spit and the ad can now only be shown after the 9pm watershed.
Budget airline Ryanair is at five with an ad showing Winston Churchill giving the victory sign and saying: "We shall fly them to the beaches, we shall fly them to the hills, we shall fly them to London." This attracted more than 100 complaints from people, who thought it referred to the recent London bombings and was "offensive and insensitive".
At six is the latest ad for Lambrini created by Cheetham Bell JWT. The Committee of Advertising Practice rejected this because it portrayed women flirting with a man whom it deemed was "too attractive". The ruling prompted the watchdog to declare: "We would advise that the man should be unattractive, overweight, middle-aged and balding."
Other ads to make the top 10 were an internet-only film for Pepsi starring David Beckham; news that MFI has been misleading customers over sale prices; and complaints about the AA using an arthritic elephant in its ads.
Top 10 Ads that Make News for July 2005
1. Lynx - Cheeky flight path one-off
2. Barclays - Bee sting advertisement
3. The Department of Health - Smoking damages your looks
4. Fanta - Spitting ad banned before 9pm
5. Ryanair - "We shall fly them to the beaches"
6. Lambrini - An ugly twist to drinks ads
7. Pepsi - Beckham surfing
8. MFI - Controversial sales claims
9. Vim - Cleaning up again
10. AA - Elephant outcry
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