Ryanair brands watchdog ‘dimwits’ in ad row

THE British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has been branded a “bunch of self-appointed dimwits” for banning a Ryanair promotion.

The ASA ruled that a newspaper ad, showing a model made to look like a Britney Spears clone, “appeared to link teenage girls with sexually provocative behaviour and was irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence”.

A Ryanair spokesman said his company was bewildered by the authority’s ruling and would not withdraw the ad.

“How could the picture of a fully clothed model be irresponsible or offensive, when it appeared in mainstream British newspapers, which frequently run pictures of topless models or photographs of celebrities in various stages of undress?” Ryanair’s head of communications Peter Sherrard questioned.

Ryanair said this ruling was remarkable “even by the absurd standards of the ASA quango”.

The ASA said the ad would not have been found offensive if it ran in the tabloids, but was offensive because it appeared in the Herald, the Daily Mail and the Scottish Mail.

“This is clearly subjective censorship and not impartial regulation of advertising,” said Mr Sherrard.

“The ASAbecomes more Monty Pythonesque by the day. This latest ruling shows how absurd and out of touch the ASA is.

“This isn’t advertising regulation, it is censorship. This bunch of unelected self-appointed dimwits are clearly incapable of fairly and impartially ruling on advertising.

“At a time when TV and media advertising is full of suggestive and provocative images, Ryanair believes that there is nothing either irresponsible or offensive in the advert. We will not be withdrawing this ad and we will not provide the ASA with any of the undertakings they seek.”