GPWA Times Magazine - Issue 7 - January 2009

42 GPWA Times | Clashingwithhigher powers This brazen approach has caused its share of drawbacks, however. In 2001, Paddy Power ranked in the Advertis- ing Standards Authority’s Top-10 list of advertisers that drew complaints. Since September 2007, the ASA has received 30 complaints about 13 Paddy Power ads. Only three of those 13 complaints have been upheld. The latest came in December when a Paddy Power print ad highlighted the fact that it was taking odds on which airline would go out of business next. The ad stated, “Booked a flight? Don’t sweat, insure with Paddy Power.” It then featured a list of 14 airlines and the odds on their going bust, including 4-to-1 on Spanair, 33-to-1 on Jet- Blue, 25-to-1 on United Air- lines, and 100-to-1 on British Airways, EasyJet, Virgin At- lantic, and Ryanair. The ASA banned the ad because it “deni- grated the airlines listed because it im- plied they might go into administration.” Paddy Power spokesman Darren Haines responded that the ad was “simply a ba- rometer of public opinion. We are not ex- pressing our opinion, just that of the pub- lic. It’s no different from a questionnaire.” Either way, the ban helped Paddy Power gain major exposure as media from all over the world – including Forbes maga- zine in the U.S. – picked up the story. In April of 2008 a Paddy Power Trader print advertisement featured a short man – or more specifically a dwarf – in the back of a stretch limousine flanked by two scantily clad women under the title: “WHO SAYS YOU CAN’T MAKE MONEY BEING SHORT? Financial Spread Bet- ting lets you bet on falling (going short) as well as rising share prices (going long), allowing you to make the most out of vol- atile markets.” The ASA questioned “whether the ad breached the [Committee of Advertis- ing Practice] Code by implying gambling could improve self-image or self-esteem or was a way to gain control, superior- ity, recognition, or admiration.” Paddy Power argued that the promotion target- ed a “very specific” audience that would “understand its whimsical nature.” But, in the end the ad was deemed “irrespon- sible” and the ASA ordered Paddy Power “not to repeat” the approach. One of the most notorious run-ins with the advertising police came in 2005 when a campaign featured billboards with a take-off of the Last Supper paint- ing (see above photo). In it Jesus has a stack of chips in front of him while the surrounding apostles are playing roulette, blackjack, and poker. A surveillance camera is positioned in the corner of the room and it appears that Judas is in the process of betraying his fellow apostles by slipping a card up his sleeve. The billboards were emblazoned with the slogan, “There’s a place for fun and games.” Predictably the billboard immediately drew strenuous objections. In fact, the ASA said at the time that it got “as many complaints [about the billboard] as it had about anything in the past.” But the controversy also drew worldwide media “As far as we’re concerned, if they can talkabout it in thepub, they should be able to bet on it.” Cheeky Power