ASA CRITICISM ON INTERCASINO AD REJECTED

29 February 2008

RGA backs online casino in defending its UK television campaign


Negative comments by the UK Advertising Standards Association that an Intercasino advertising campaign's use of “people with dwarfism” exhibiting “juvenile behaviour” was unacceptable has been rejected by the advertising agency responsible, Adsdotcom, which has pointed out that there have been no objections to the material.

The managing director of the agency, Jon Salmon said: “No formal objection has been made in relation to the campaign. The campaign has been successful in appealing to the target age group of 25- to 40-year-olds. We feel as though we have been judged unfairly. We don’t agree with the concerns, and the TV commercials were pre-approved by Clearcast.”

Four of the seven adverts which did not meet the ASA standards outlined were from Intercasino, the organisation revealed in a statement last week (see previous InfoPowa report).

The Remote Gaming Association, a trade body to which Intercasino belongs came out in support of the online casino company. CEO Clive Hawkswood told the news website eGaming Review that in his opinion the ASA comments were inconsistent given the pre-agreed 9pm watershed. “The wording is subject to interpretation, and the adverts are shown after the watershed,” he commented.

Describing the advertisements, the ASA report said: “One advertisement featured characters dressed in giant dice costumes and rolling down a hill into a wall, imitating a game of craps.

"Another advertisement features three characters ringing church bells, only to be pulled up into the rafters and fall down mimicking a winning formation from a slot machine. The final two advertisements featured characters painted with card patterns and imitating a winning hand dealt in a Blackjack card game rolling around on grass. The four advertisements seemed to break BCAP TV Code clause 11.10.2(B) and (C).”

Salmon said that there has been no request for the withdrawal of the ads, which he characterised as "slapstick" rather than "juvenile" and that the campaign would therefore continue.

Online Casino News courtesy of InfoPowa