Ladbrokes Iron Man 3 advertisement prohibited over 'child appeal'

24 August 2016

An advert for bookmaker Ladbrokes including Marvel superhero Iron Man has actually been banned over worries it would appeal to children.

The e-mail, which included an image from the film Iron Man 3, breached rules which state gambling ads should not be likely to attract kids, the Advertising Standards Authority said.

Ladbrokes stated all its advertising emails were sent out to signed up customers or those known to be over 18.

Most Iron Man fans are grownups, it said.

the yohaig code bookmaker argued this was supported by information on presence at Comic Con fan events and Facebook demographics for the Marvel brand.

It also argued its advert was "adult-themed" and reflected pop culture.

However, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) promoted the grievance against the 4 May email, saying that betting ads need to not be likely to be of specific attract children, particularly by showing or being connected with youth culture.

The ASA stated it comprehended that the e-mail was only sent to individuals aged 18 and over, however however, the restrictions still used.

It said that as all Facebook users must state themselves to be at least 13 years old, more youthful children were for that reason left out from the sample utilized by Ladbrokes to support its position.

The ASA stated: "We considered those younger children were most likely to be the primary audience for Iron Man action figures and related merchandise, which we comprehended were commonly available at toy sellers.

"We comprehended that Iron Man was a popular character that would interest numerous adults but considered its comics nature, and the accessibility of numerous associated toys, suggested it was likely to have specific appeal to kids and young individuals.

"We for that reason concluded that the yohaig code ad breached the special code yohaig."

A Ladbrokes spokesperson stated: "We are aware of the ASA ruling and are now considering our choices, including the yohaig code possibility of requesting an independent review which is part of the ASA appeals procedure."

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ASA - Advertising Standards Authority