Paddy Power has found itself in hot water once again with the British Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). This after it aired an advert that was deemed to be misleading. Paddy Power has made quite a reputation for itself for having adverts that are usually clever, albeit a bit offensive, provocative or inappropriate.
The new advert has been deemed to be misleading as it makes Paddy Power’s customers believe that they are all able to enter and take part in the Cheltenham Festival promotion. After the advert aired, the Advertising Standards Authority received about 11 complaints from viewers.
The advert features Fonejacker comedian Kayvan Novak, who is shown working Paddy Power’s complaints telephone line. He then has to confirm to the caller that the promotion is indeed available to everyone, even the “riff raff”.
In truth, not all of the betting operator’s clients can take part, with roughly 0.5% of the customer base being banned from participating. This was done on suspicion that bettors might be able to abuse the promotion or use it to ensure they make a profit, no matter the outcome. The promotion was promising that if you placed a bet and your horse finished in second place, you’d be able to get your money back.
Customer complained that the advert was misleading, as it had made them believe that they’d be able to participate. After reviewing the advert, the ASA concluded that this was indeed the case, even though the advert featured the usual “T&Cs apply”. Paddy Power has been told not to show the advert again in its current form, and warned not to make the same mistake in the future.
This is of course not the first time the ASA has had words with Paddy Power. Back in 2014, Paddy Power was ordered to remove its Oscar Pistorius advert, after it received a record 5500 complaints. The ASA said that the advert trivialized domestic violence and made fun of the athlete’s disability.
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