Three Paddy Power ads which appeared on UK TV and radio, received complaints by the public. The Advertising Standards Agency addressed these complaints and ruled that one of them should be removed. The other two were found to be up to standard and are allowed to be broadcast.
The problematic ad showed a man playing Paddy Power’s Wonder Wheel game on his mobile phone.
The man is caught up in the excitement of the game when his partner comes up and asks him if he believes that she will look like her mother when she’s older.
The man replies “I hope so.”
The ad then cuts to a voice over which says: “So no matter how badly you stuff it up, you’ll always get another chance with Paddy Power games.”
Not everyone saw the humor in Paddy Power’s ad. Two people came forward and complained about the fact that it depicted a man so caught up in his gambling activities that they took priority over his normal life. They also claimed that the ad encouraged irresponsible gambling.
The ASA sided with the complainants on both charges and ordered that the ad should be removed from the air.
Regarding the other two ads, ASA did not agree that they caused serious offense or contained sexual innuendos as charged. These ads were allowed to continue being broadcast.
