Ananova:

The makers of Hamlet cigars have been criticised by the advertising watchdog for a poster poking fun at short people.

The advert showed three dwarves not tall enough to reach the urinal in a men's lavatory, and two in obvious discomfort.

It led to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) receiving 19 complaints, including one from the Restricted Growth Association.

Those who objected to the poster, for Hamlet Miniatures, said it was "offensive and vulgar, especially because it ridiculed short people".

Hamlet makers, Gallaher Group, claimed they had spoken to several dwarf actors about how to portray short people in the poster.

According to the company the advert "showed an everyday situation that dwarves and people of restricted height faced".

They added that they had consulted the industry's Committee of Advertising Practice Copy Advice team, who said the poster was unlikely to cause offence.

Gallaher Group said readers "would understand they were laughing with the dwarf actors and not at them".

However the ASA, in its adjudication, concluded that the advert "ridiculed short people" and told the company not to use it again.

The watchdog rejected another complaint relating to the same advert and one other, that they implied dwarves and short people were small because they or their mothers smoked.

Story filed: 00:02 Wednesday 15th May 2002

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