Companies rapped for ‘offensive’ advertising

AIRLINE companies, online betting providers and broadband providers were just some of the sectors who were censured by the Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland for breaching their code of practice.

Nine of the 16 complaints lodged were upheld by the authority at its recent meeting.

A complaint against Eurosales International was lodged by one customer who claimed its advertised anti-snoring device, Silence, was ineffective. The product was advertised as “the first muco adhesive formula to silence snoring through the night”. Silence was guaranteed or customers were offered their money back.

During the investigation, research was provided by Eurosales demonstrating the product was just “moderately effective” and that the effect lasted up to four hours. In its judgment, the complaints committee found that insufficient research backed up the advertised claims. It also said that the requirement to send bank details to a PO box number was a “major restriction” against getting your money back.

Meanwhile, a 13-year-old lodged a complaint against a Ryanair advertisement, based on the Uncle Sam conscription ads, which said “Aer Lingus SCREW you with €65 surcharges”. The complainant said the advertisement was offensive, immature and unnecessary. Her objection was upheld by the committee which said the use of vulgar gestures or crude language in advertising was not appropriate.

Another complaint was levelled at Paddy Power for a poster and newspaper ad that shows a man sitting on a sofa, jumper held up, exposing his right nipple. He held a baby in his arm. The caption read: “Where have all the women gone?”. The bottom of the poster read paddypowerbingo.com.

The authority reported widespread negative reaction to the ad with people saying it was sexist and disrespectful to both men and women’s role in the home. Others said it was vulgar, rude and distasteful. More complainants said it was a crude dismissal of the importance of breastfeeding. The committee upheld the complaint saying that considering the volume of complaints alone, it breached the advertising code as it caused “grave or widespread offence”.