The mailout, devised by Harrison Troughton Wunderman, aimed to draw attention to First Quench off licences Wine Rack, Thresher and Victoria Wine. It contained a spoof letter from a pretend neighbour complaining about the special offers the retailers were carrying and how if they "fell into the wrong hands" they could disrupt the local area.
The envelope carried the words "from a neighbour" on the outside. It contained a letter, which was written in the same style as the typeface on the envelope, and carried money-off vouchers for drinks. It also had a phone number, connecting to a message that made it clear the mailout was a joke.
A member of the public from London complained that the mailout was misleading because it implied it had been sent by a neighbour, rather than being an advertisement, and that it was likely to frighten or distress vulnerable recipients.
The advertiser defended the mailing saying it had been intended to be humorous and that it had, in fact, been congratulated on its imaginative campaign.
The Advertising Standards Authority agreed with the complainant, however, and First Quench was told not to use a similar approach in the future.
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