But when the company launched a similar campaign in conservative Singapore, there was widespread outrage.

The logo that has upset Singaporeans

The ads, showing the letters FCUK in black on a white background, are being carried by six buses plying different routes across the city.

But a bus company spokesman, Vincent Lim, said public outrage had forced them to ask French Connection to change them.

He said the clothing company had agreed to make alterations, but did not elaborate on what they would be.

'Coarse'

Chew Kim Yong, a 40-year old father of three young girls, was one of many who said the four-letter word play was disgusting.

What is the world coming to? No more decency, just bad manners

Mr Wong Looi, Singapore shopkeeper

"If this is not a sign of the coarsening of our culture, I don't know what is," he said. "What's next?

"I am really concerned that our young men and women are being bombarded with this and other similarly crude messages by the media."

Shopkeeper Wong Looi, 75, added: "Old folks like me are very upset with the rudeness and crudeness now. But what can we do? Now business is king."

'Creative'

But Singapore marketing professor Dr Ang Swee Hoon said she thought the word play was "very creative".

And linguist Peter Tan noted many people now used the word FCUK on the internet in place of the expletive in order to avoid filters.

French Connection saw its profits increase by 84% in the first half of last year, which it attributed directly to the launch of its FCUK advertising campaign in Britain.

But the Advertising Standards Authority received 27 complaints about the logo. And a British judge branded the campaign "tasteless and obnoxious" during a court case involving the company.