ASA Adjudication on StopStutteringSecrets.com

Ad

Four Internet ads for StopStutteringSecrets.com: a. The first ad stated " 'Stop Stuttering Secret' 2 Proven Ways To Stop Stuttering One Works Easily In Under 9 Minutes ...". b. The second ad stated "Finaly [sic] Stop Stutter Fast In Just 9 Minutes You Can Stop Your Stuttering For Good! ...". c. The third ad stated "Stutter Free Me 9MinCure Imagine How Confident You Will Be 100% Stutter Free! ...". d. The fourth ad stated " 'Stop Stuttering Cure' How To Stop Stuttering In Only 9 Minutes. 3 Step Stuttering Cure ...".

Issue

The British Stammering Association, who said stammering was a neurological condition which could not be cured, thought the ads gave the misleading impression that stammering could easily be cured.

CAP Code (Edition 11)

Response

StopStutteringSecrets.com did not respond to the ASA's enquiries.  

An affiliate marketer, who advertised the StopStutteringSecrets product for a commission and placed ads (b) and (c), said he would not run those ads again.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA was concerned by StopStutteringSecrets.com's lack of response and apparent disregard for the Code, which was a breach of CAP Code clause 2.6 (Non-response). We reminded them of their responsibility to respond promptly to our enquiries and told them to do so in future.

Although we understood it was sometimes possible for stammering to be managed and controlled, we considered that the references in ad (c) and ad (d) to "cure" were problematic, because they suggested the advertised program could entirely eliminate stammering.  We understood this would be a breakthrough claim and would therefore require a body of robust evidence, consisting of clinical trials conducted on people, in order to support it.  We had seen no such evidence.  Moreover, we noted the Code stated that unqualified claims such as 'cure' were not generally acceptable.  We noted ad (a) and ad (b) did not state cure but considered both ads gave the impression of a cure: ad (a) stated "2 Proven Ways To Stop Stuttering" and ad (b) stated   "Stop Your Stuttering For Good!"  We also considered the claim "Be 100% stutter free" in ad (c) was problematic for the same reason.  Furthermore, StopStutteringSecrets.com had sent no evidence to show their methods of helping people stop stuttering were "proven" or that one worked "easily" in "under 9 minutes".  

We concluded that, in the absence of evidence to support any of these claims, the ads were likely to mislead.  We were pleased to note the affiliate marketer's assurance that ads (b) and (c) would not appear again.

The ads breached CAP Code clauses 2.6 (Non-response), 3.1 (Substantiation), 7.1 (Truthfulness) and 50.1 (Health & beauty products and therapies - General).  Ads (c) and (d) also breached CAP Code clause 50.7 (Health & beauty products and therapies - General).

Action

The ads must not appear again in their current form.  We asked StopStutteringSecrets.com to seek guidance from the CAP Copy Advice team before advertising their program again, and asked CAP to inform its members of the problem with StopStutteringSecrets.com.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)