I SYMPATHISE with GH Smith's interpretation of the bus advert (March 26). However, I feel he is being over-sensitive.

"FCUK" is a legitimate abbreviation for French Connection United Kingdom. Any interpretation other than that is frankly in the mind of the beholder - no offence!

However, I do agree that young children will be interpreting FCUK as something other than an innocent acronym. This isn't the fault of the company, it is the fault of increased sex, expletives, violence and so on in day-to-day media that is accessible to children.

Tighter control over what children are permitted to view is needed so that companies with innocent abbreviations can't use them for advertising capital.

Stephen O'Neill.

Front Street, Acomb, York.

...GH Smith may well call for French Connection UK to reconsider its advertising on the grounds of common decency (March 26), but his call is battling against the forces of Mammon.

Since the use of its initials in advertising, the company's profits have soared.

The continued use of these initials in phrases suggesting a typographical error is nothing more than an adolescent attempt to appear rebellious while holding on to a veneer of (not so) innocence.

Also, this company's continued advertising direction is nothing if not highly tedious. Like an adolescent, French Connection needs to be told that it has had its fun, it wasn't funny in the first place, and we're all thoroughly bored now.

Dr Duncan Campbell,

Albemarle Road, York.

Updated: 13:53 Saturday, March 29, 2003