ASA Adjudication on Paul McKenna Productions

Ad

A regional press ad, for a weight loss event, showed a picture of the hypnotist Paul McKenna and stated “ … the most effective weight loss system available. Lose weight and keep it off … ”.

Issue

The complainant challenged the claim "the most effective weight loss system available. Lose weight and keep it off".

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

Paul McKenna Training (PKT) explained that traditional diets generally had a success rate of around 12%.  They said they had commissioned two independent, controlled surveys on previous attendees to weight loss events: they supplied the surveys which showed that 71% of participants had lost weight; they said the surveys were conducted three and six months after the event.  They said they believed the system was the most effective available, but they accepted that they could not yet supply independent research comparing the system to other methods.  They said they would not repeat this statement until they had independent research to substantiate it.  They asserted that the surveys provided showed that participants had lost weight and had kept it off.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA welcomed PKT's decision not to repeat the claim "the most effective weight loss system available" until they had independent and robust research to support it.  We considered that most readers would understand the claim "Lose weight and keep it off" to mean that, by following the system, participants would lose weight and keep it off for the rest of their life.  We also considered that the ad implied weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance were guaranteed. Although we noted a high proportion of participants reported that they had lost weight using the system after three and six months, we nevertheless concluded that the substantiation was inadequate to support the implication that all participants would lose weight and keep it off for ever.  

The ad breached CAP Code clauses 3.1 and 3.2 (Substantiation), 19.1 (Other comparisons) and 51.1 (Health & beauty products and therapies - General).

Action

We told PKT not to repeat the claim and advised them to seek help from the CAP Copy Advice team on future weight loss claims.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)