Youtube restricts Paddy Power´s latest viral ad

The marketing publication Campaign Live reports that Paddy Power is continuing to court controversy with its latest viral video ad, a spoof on England football players’ sexual proclivities and ‘goal line technology’.

Youtube has slapped an over-18 years old restriction on the vid, which was produced by ad agency Crispin Porter + Bogusky.

A Paddy Power spokesman responded to the restriction with typical insouciance, dubbing the video-sharing site “the fun police” and criticising the decision.

“Despite having a six figure view count and an overwhelmingly positive reaction by viewers, the fun police have decided to slap an over-18 restriction on our latest viral,” the spokesman said.

Campaign Live, which screens the vid without restrictions, reports that it shows the England team experimenting with ways to avoid girls in Poland and Ukraine, distracting the footballers by fitting them with “goal line technology”, which sends an alarm to new England manager Roy Hodgson. The vid then goes on to show two lab workers demonstrating the technology.

This is not the first time Paddy Power has been criticised for its often funny ads…and it will probably not be the last.