So the supine Advertising Standards Authority has finally decided to act on the TrainLine's misleading and frankly rather insulting 'sheep ads'.
Not before time.
However, the spin has been spun and the resulting media coverage of the ban will probably give greater exposure to the TrainLies poxy website than the entire ad campaign.
The full ASA report can be found here.
There must be a better way to regulate crap advertising?
UPDATE: This just in from 'Sword of Truth'...
I was one of the complainants to the ASA about this TrainLies advert.
I initially took it up with Passenger Focus, who proved as much use as a chocolate fireguard. In fact I've lost count of the number of times I've received replies from the alleged passenger watchdog saying: “Passenger Focus is unable to help you on this matter”.
What do Passenger Focus actually do, apart from turn up on the TV, whinging about fares, overcrowding or rail passengers on buses?
All of which seems not to make a jot of difference to the journeys of real rail passengers.
UPDATE: Matthew Engel in his new book Eleven Minutes Late offers the following reflection on Passenger Focus...
Anthony Smith (is) the chief executive of something called Passenger Focus which purports to represent rail passengers.
Smith is appointed by the Board of Passenger Focus which in turn is appointed by the Government... this puts Smith roughly in the position of the court-appointed defence lawyer in a Soviet show trial.
He is allowed to put in the odd word on behalf of his clients - and indeed is frequently quoted in the news media - provided he does not do so too vigorously.
In the Soviet Union that would have got him shot. This being Britain he would merely endanger his OBE.
