‘Kiss Me Quick’ loan mailer slated

'Kiss Me Quick' loan mailer slatedCash Converters has been battered by the ad watchdog for a “frivolous” direct mailing which encouraged customers to take out a loan to fund their summer break, including buying a new barbeque and even a “Kiss Me Quick” hat.
The mailing, devised in-house, stated: “Dear Customer, Summer time and the living is easy. We wish it was – summer holidays, kids to entertain, new BBQ to buy, the list never ends! At Cash Converters we are here to help.”
It went on to detail how a “bit of extra money that could go a long way towards helping out”, adding: “and who knows, maybe even go towards a ‘Kiss Me Quick’ hat for the beach.”
But one recipient challenged the Advertising Standards Authority to investigate whether the ad was irresponsible, because it encouraged frivolous spending.
In its defence, Cash Converters said the mailing was designed to refer to the range of facilities it offered, including pay-day loans, personal loans as well as pawn-broking services available instore.
The firm also pointed out that a risk warning was included in the mailshot and that it would never lend money to someone who did not have the ability to pay it back.
However, the ASA took a dim view of the mailing’s wording, maintaining that that summer holidays, entertaining the children, buying a new barbeque and a “Kiss Me Quick” hat were all purchases that were unlikely to be considered essential purchases and that the references to them suggested that taking out a loan or other type of cash advance for them was something that could be approached lightly.
It added: “By suggesting loans or other types of cash advance could be used to fund non-essential purchases, the ad encouraged frivolous spending and was irresponsible.”
Banning the mailing, warned Cash Converters to ensure that future advertising was prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society.

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