Who: The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and Koi Footwear Ltd
Where: United Kingdom
When: 11 June 2025
Law stated as at: 1 July 2025
What happened:
An email advertisement for Koi Footwear included the subject line “Take two and call us in the morning”, accompanied by pill emojis. The email included a photo of a syringe and a vial containing pink liquid labelled “KOI”, with the text above the image saying “SIDE EFFECTS: MAY INCLUDE OBSESSION.” Images of Koi shoes were featured underneath. A complainant contended that the ad glamorised drug use, deeming it offensive and irresponsible by seemingly encouraging or condoning such behaviour.
In response, Koi Footwear explained that the ad drew inspiration from Japanese subcultures, biotech aesthetics and video game references, particularly the Silent Hill franchise. The imagery and text, including pills and syringes, were “intended to symbolise transformation and synthetic enhancement”, aiming for a surreal and ironic tone rather than a literal endorsement of drug use. The company acknowledged the complaint and expressed willingness to review and amend these creative elements or add disclaimers in future campaigns to prevent misinterpretation.
The ASA, however, upheld the complaint, concluding that the ad condoned and encouraged drug use, rendering it irresponsible and likely to cause serious and widespread offence. The ASA noted that the subject line and pill emojis referenced medical dosage instructions in a way that would be familiar to consumers. The syringe and vial image closely resembled drug paraphernalia and, combined with the wording, directly linked Koi’s products to drug culture and use.
The ASA further stated that recipients of the email would interpret the syringe and accompanying language literally, associating them with drug use, even though that was not Koi’s intention. The depiction of the branded syringe, alongside a phrase mimicking medical advice and referencing “OBSESSION” as a side effect, was seen as trivialising drug use and glamorising addictive behaviour as an appealing or stylish trait.
Why this matters:
While advertisers can be creative when crafting engaging marketing campaigns, they also need to be mindful of the advertising codes’ requirements. Although Koi Footwear’s artistic intentions were not to condone drug use, the ruling highlights how easily creative elements can be misinterpreted, leading to accusations of glamorising harmful behaviours. The ruling underscores the importance of balancing creativity with responsibility to ensure that ad campaigns do not inadvertently breach the rules.
