Mark Kypta, owner of Northampton store Sofa King says he has no plans to stop using his Sofa King Low advertising slogan despite the Advertising Standards Authority ruling it is ‘likely to cause serious and widespread offence.’
Three people complained to the ASA about the slogan appearing in a local newspaper advertisement last August. Kypta says the slogan – The Sofa King – Where the prices are Sofa King Low! – has been used in the free newspaper every week for a decade without complaint.
‘I agree with what the ASA stand for, but I think in this case they’ve got it wrong. We’re going to fight it all the way. For them to ban the advertising I find absolutely ridiculous. It takes one person to complain about an advertisement and they have to take it seriously. Thousands of people have seen the advertisements.
‘On our Facebook page people have said they find it more offensive people have actually complained. The public are behind us and think it’s crazy.’
in 2004 complaints were made to the police about the slogan, but no action was taken. The ASA has previously acted against similar slogans including Sofa King Good.