Ladbrokes Runs Into Trouble With Iron Man Focused Email
Published on by Becky M.
Ladbrokes have always enjoyed skirting close to the edge when it comes to advertising, with its latest efforts actually coming back to bite the company. The email campaign that has caused controversy centres on the usage of the image of iconic comic book character Iron Man. What was stated in the email was the following tagline, “Enjoy this exclusive Ladbrokes welcome offer with Iron Man 3”. While this appears to be innocuous enough on the surface, it seems that some people raised concerns that the advert would appeal to children. Stepping in to resolve the issue, the ASA produced a report on the advert, addressing its legality.
‘Adult Themed’
As the complaint reached the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Ladbrokes has jumped to the defence of the email, stating that the image used was “adult-themed”. They argued that it was nothing more than a pop culture reference; they also referenced the fact that Iron Man himself is actually an adult. Sadly for Ladbrokes, it seems that such arguments fell on deaf ears. Following an investigation, the ASA upheld a ruling that stated that they believed the advert might carry appeal with minors. They stated in an official report, “We considered those younger children were likely to be the primary audience for Iron Man action figures and related merchandise, which we understood were widely available at toy retailers. We understood that Iron Man was a popular character that would appeal to many adults but considered its comic book nature, and the availability of various related toys, meant it was likely to have particular appeal to children and young people”.
Breached The Code
The ASA concluded the report by saying, “We therefore concluded that the ad breached the code.” Following this Ladbrokes were informed that the ad would no longer be able to run or be reproduced in its current form.