Now it seems we have a new generation of stupid people. 3 people complained to the ASA saying the phrase was
... offensive and unsuitable for general display.
As Sofa King pointed out in their defence:
... they had used the slogan "Where the Prices are Sofa King Low!" as their company strap line since they began trading nine years previously and that it was used on their premises and on their vehicles as well as in their advertising. ...complaints made to Northamptonshire Police in 2004 were not taken further by the Crown Prosecution Service and that no complaints had been made direct to them.
Sadly common sense has failed to prevail at the ASA. In their upheld judgement:
but considered that [the phrase Sofa King Low] could be interpreted as a derivative of the swear word "fuck", which consumer research had found to be a word so likely to offend that it should not be used in ads at all, even when it was relevant to the name of a product.
Not sure who are the worse idiots - the three who complained, or the ASA for upholding the complaint.
Update: BitterWallet suggest that -
Rumours abound that Sofa King will now relocate to Norwich and now use the strapline of ‘Norfolk ‘n’ good’.
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