An advertising agency has been told not to repeat a radio ad that falsely claimed that new apartments were a five minute walk from the beach.

The advertisement on behalf of a North East builder was aired on Metro Radio and claimed:

"Shepherd Homes luxury two bed apartments at the Laurels, West Monkseaton are a great place to live. Newcastle and Sunderland are in easy reach and yet you're only five minutes walk from the beach; great for a stroll on a Sunday. And for runners, well it's just paradise. Best of all, we'll pay your 5% deposit for you. That's worth at least £7,500. It's a breath of fresh air. For more information call 01 … or visit shepherd-holmes.co.uk."

The background sound effects included the sound of waves and seagulls.

The apartments are in fact some mile to a mile and half from the nearest beach, which is significantly more than a five minute walk.

The agency responsible for the ad, Craven Advertising Ltd, explained that the claim was based on casual research and apologised for the error.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) considered that the claim in the ad that the
apartments were a five-minute walk from the beach was inaccurate and could have misled listeners into taking action that they may not otherwise have taken, such as making enquiries about the development or visiting the properties.

The Authority has ruled that the ad should not be broadcast again in this way.

References

Advertising Standards Authority
Craven Advertising
Metro Radio
Shepherd Homes