The Advertising Standards Authority have spoken, deeming the recent TV advertising campaign for the soft drink Oasis as "offensive" and "irresponsible." ASA received a grand 32 complaints regarding the Cactus Kid ads which, in a parodied homage to the film Badlands, see a pregnant young woman take to the road with her cactus boyfriend. Not only have the ads been seen as discouraging "good dietry practice," but, it would seem, they are actively inviting a downturn in good ol' family values.

The problem, it appears, is not that the intertextual reference to what is both one of my favourite films and one of the greatest crime spree movies ever made (Terrence Malick's 1973 film was a heavy influence on True Romance and wildly pre-dates the nonsense that is Natural Born Killers) might encourage a misguided, criminal romance, but rather that young ladies might get themselves deflowered and up the duff.

ASA said on the matter, "We also considered that the combination of her youthful appearance and the reference to her pregnancy meant [the advert] could be interpreted to condone under-age sex and teenage pregnancy."

Well, the subject of media effects and influence have and will doubtless continue to be thrashed out ad infinitum, so I won't go on. What I would like to say, though, is a thank-you to the ASA for pointing out how Oasis manufacturer, Coca-Cola, might have been thoughtlessly encouraging, through the supping of nasty overpriced squash, underage girls getting themselves knocked-up.

Catch the saga of one girl's love for her cacti guy on youtube or visit the site here