Complaints about TV advertising. First Complaint: Paddy Power PLC advert (2014). At the time when this advert was released, the trial of the Paralympic and Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was due to begin. An ad for a bookmaker, which appeared in The Sun on Sunday, included an image similar to an Oscar statuette, which had the face of the athlete Oscar Pistorius. Text stated “IT’S OSCAR TIME”, “MONEY BACK IF HE WALKS” and “WE WILL REFUND ALL LOSING BETS ON THE OSCAR PISTORIUS TRIAL IF HE IS FOUND NOT GUILTY”. The ASA challenged whether the ad brought advertising into disrepute. In the end the advert was upheld. This was the most complained about advert of 2014. Second Complaint: Sainsbury’s Christmas advert in association with the British Legion (2014). Sainsbury’s Christmas TV ad showed a story based on the 1914 Christmas Day truce during the First World War. Most of the complainants objected to the use of an event from the First World War to advertise a supermarket. While acknowledging that some found the advert to be in poor taste to the audience, the ASA did not judge the ad to be offensive and in breach of the Code. This advert was not upheld. This was the fourth most complained about advert of 2014. Third Complaint: Waitrose Ltd advert (2014). A TV and cinema advert claimed ‘Everyone who works at Waitrose owns Waitrose’ prompted complaints that it was misleading because they understood that some services, like cleaning, were outsourced. When the ASA approached Waitrose with the complainants’ challenges, they agreed to amend the
Complaints about TV advertising.First Complaint: Paddy Power PLC
advert (2014).At the time when this advert was released, the trial
of the Paralympic and Olympic athlete Oscar Pistorius was due to
begin. An ad for a bookmaker, which appeared in The Sun on Sunday,
included an image similar to an Oscar statuette, which had the face
of the athlete Oscar Pistorius. Text stated ITS OSCAR TIME, MONEY
BACK IF HE WALKS and WE WILL REFUND ALL LOSING BETS ON THE OSCAR
PISTORIUS TRIAL IF HE IS FOUND NOT GUILTY. The ASA challenged
whether the ad brought advertising into disrepute. In the end the
advert was upheld. This was the most complained about advert of
2014.Second Complaint: Sainsburys Christmas advert in association
with the British Legion (2014). Sainsburys Christmas TV ad showed a
story based on the 1914 Christmas Day truce during the First World
War. Most of the complainants objected to the use of an event from
the First World War to advertise a supermarket. While acknowledging
that some found the advert to be in poor taste to the audience, the
ASA did not judge the ad to be offensive and in breach of the Code.
This advert was not upheld. This was the fourth most complained
about advert of 2014.Third Complaint: Waitrose Ltd advert
(2014).
A TV and cinema advert claimed Everyone who works at Waitrose
owns Waitrose prompted complaints that it was misleading because
they understood that some services, like cleaning, were outsourced.
When the ASA approached Waitrose with the complainants challenges,
they agreed to amend the advert. We closed the case because the
concerns were resolved without the need for full investigation.
This was the sixth most complained about advert in 2014. This
advert was resolved.
