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LONDON - British advertising regulators hit hard-living Australian cricketer Shane Warne for six on Wednesday, saying a sales pitch he gave for a hair care product should be banned for implying it cured baldness.
The Advertising Standards Authority said newspaper advertisements that featured Warne for the firm Advanced Hair Studio and its AHS-FP product were misleading.
The ads quote Warne saying: "Advanced Hair, Yeah Yeah."
"I've been hearing it for years, but to me I've always taken it as 'warning'. And that warning is -- if I didn't do something about my fine and thin hair they could well be chanting 'baldy!"' the blond spinner is quoted as saying.
"So see Advanced Hair Studio...and your hair will be looking better than ever. Don't wait until it's too late, get your free advanced hair check! and heed the Warne-ing today!"
The regulator ruled that Warne's words in the ad implied he had received treatment that would either stop his hair from falling out or regrow it, even though the company had provided no evidence its product cured baldness.
"Readers could infer that the AHS-FP had resulted in the slowing down or stopping of hair loss and/or the re-growth of Warne's hair," it said.
"If Shane Warne was used in future ads for AHS-FP, the ad should do no more than suggest that the advertised treatment had a cosmetic effect."
- REUTERS
