ASA rejects complaint against blu campaign

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has rejected a complaint against the summer marketing campaign run by blu, the vaping brand from Imperial Tobacco.

The complaint alleged that three outdoor posters for blu encouraged non-smokers and non-nicotine users to use e-cigarettes.

The ASA in its assessment said there was nothing in the ads “that was likely to suggest to non-smokers particularly that the product was for them.”

The ads featured stylised drawn characters who were all shown vaping, and contained the wording, “For Existing Adult Smokers & Vapers Only”.

The campaign, which ran form June to September in London and other key cities across the UK and Ireland, was only directed at existing smokers and vapers, Imperial Tobacco said in its response.