Smirnoff joke gives Diageo sore head

The advertising slogan exhorts us to drink Smirnoff for the "Pure Thrill" of it, but the vodka company's latest posters have got the Taiwanese excited in a rather different way.

In fact so upset is Taiwan that its parliament has passed a resolution urging the government in Taipei to ban the sale of Smirnoff and all other products made by its parent company, the British drinks giant Diageo, for a year.

The offending advert, which appeared on the London Underground last month, featured a half-wrapped Christmas gift bearing a label reading: "Warning. This gift will break down on Christmas morning. Replacement parts available from service centre. Box No 260 Taiwan. Allow 365 working days for delivery."

Needless to say the Taiwanese, who are very sensitive to criticism of their manufacturing prowess, did not see the funny side of it. Diageo, whose other brands include Johnnie Walker and J&B whisky, Baileys, Captain Morgan and Guinness, removed the adverts and made a grovelling apology after the Taiwanese complained. But that still failed to thrill the country's parliament.

A Diageo spokesman in Taipei said that it had now agreed to put up new advertisements in the Tube praising Taiwan's hi-tech industry. They would have the same prominence and appear in the same sites. "We believe Taiwan's government will work with the legislature's resolution in a fair and legal way," the spokesman added.