London Underground downs Spitfire ads

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London Underground has ordered the removal of advertising for Spitfire ale following complaints from German tourists.The latest £250,000 phase of...

London Underground has ordered the removal of advertising for Spitfire ale following complaints from German tourists.

The latest £250,000 phase of the campaign by Kent brewer Shepherd Neame centres on wartime imagery and, in keeping with the beer's patriotic name, has been dubbed "The Bottle of Britain" campaign. It features straplines including, "Have the sunbeds. We're going to the bar", and "Votz zo funny about zeez posters?".

The posters had been cleared by the London Transport advertising watchdog but Underground chiefs ordered their removal after receiving a number of complaints from German tube-users.

A previous phase in the campaign in 1998, featuring straplines including, "Downed all over Kent, just like the Luftwaffe", and "No Fokker comes close", also resulted in complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). But these were dismissed by the ASA panel which ruled that the posters were intended to be lighthearted and should not be considered offensive.

Jonathan Neame, the Kent brewer's managing director, said of the latest move: "The overwhelming majority of people accept the ads as lighthearted and tongue-in-cheek.

"It is sad that, on the basis of a handful of objections, political correctness has been allowed to prevent London tube travellers from enjoying our new campaign."

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