ASA discusses most complained about adverts in 2014

The UK advertising watchdog Advertising Standards Authority revealed the worst ads in terms of
complaints in its review of 2014 published this week.

Attracting the most complaints by far, and establishing a new ASA record at 5 525 complaints, was the tasteless but publicity-grabbing Paddy Power campaign with the slogan “money back if he walks” that was flighted during the legless Olympian runner’s trial for murdering his girlfriend (see previous  report).

The ASA subsequently banned the advert because it “brought advertising into disrepute”.

Some way behind on the complaints list was an advertisement for Booking.com, which was the subject of 1,768 complaints, mainly objecting to its use of the word “booking” as a substitute for a well-known swear word. In that case the company was found not to be at fault.

The Sun newspaper also came in for a battering with 1,711 complaints about its advertisement offering subscribers a chance to win a date with one of its famous page 3 topless models. In that case the complaints were supported on grounds that the offer was “demeaning to women and objectified those offered as prizes”.

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