The Stage

West 1 Casting breaks advertising codes again

Published Thursday 26 June 2008 at 14:40 by Matthew Hemley

West 1 Casting, a model management company that refers would-be models and extras to UK agencies, has been found guilty of breaking advertising codes for a sixth time.

In the latest investigation, the Advertising Standards Authority found that West 1 Casting - currently trading as Model Management UK - had produced misleading adverts because it falsely claimed that Model Management was an “independent promotions company”.

The ASA’s investigation found that West 1 Casting shared its premises and management with Hidden Faces Ltd, trading as Hidden Talent, a company Model Management was found to refer clients to.

In its report, the ASA acknowledged that the two companies operated separately from each other, but added: “We noted from evidence submitted by the complainant that successful applicants from Model Management had been referred to Hidden Talent for representation.

“We noted a fee was payable to Model Management to enlist them and a second fee could be payable to the agency they referred clients to.”

In response, Model Management said it referred people to agencies with whom the agency had no “proprietary or other financial connection”, but the ASA found that given the “business relationship between Model Management and Hidden Talent”, the adverts were misleading.

Publicity for the management company also said agencies it worked with had found clients work on The Bill and EastEnders, a point the ASA said could not be proved.

It has subsequently been told to remove the claim “independent” from its marketing material and to stop implying successful applicants had found work on specific programmes.

The ASA has also warned that the management responsible for West 1 Casting could face “tougher sanctions” if they continue to breach advertising codes.

An ASA spokeswoman added that newspapers and publishers around the UK had now been alerted by the Committee of Advertising Practice, the body responsible for enforcing ASA adjudications, to the adverts submitted by West 1 Casting and material that appears similar to it.

In light of the number of upheld complaints against West 1, she told The Stage that CAP would look at “further sanctions” against the company if it continues to mislead and not work within advertising codes, including to request that the Office of Fair Trading intervenes.