Ladbrokes bullish over advertising complaints
Bookmaker rejects complaints as a "sense of humour failure" and expects them to be dismissed in due course
Ladbrokes has defended its new Ladbrokes Life marketing campaign after its outdoor adverts have attracted a number of complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
Complainants claimed the bookmaker’s new outdoor campaign was irresponsible and harmful and glamorised gambling, according to a report in CampaignLive.
But the operator hit back saying the reaction to its ads has been “overwhelmingly positive” and the tone was in marked contrast to other “aggressive” campaigns from its competitors.
“There appear to be a few people who have had a sense of humour failure regarding our new campaign,” a spokesperson for Ladbrokes said.
“Moreover, the fact that the campaign includes the first ever TV ad that is dedicated to a responsible gambling message appears to have been ignored.”
“We trust the ASA will dismiss the complaints in due course,” the spokesperson added.
The ASA has recently come down hard on online gambling operators with regards to advertising campaigns that have been perceived to be pushing boundaries.
It demanded that Paddy Power removed its Oscar Pistorius adverts in the national print press after receiving a record number of complaints, while recent adverts from Mr Green, 888 and BetButler were pulled after the ASA deemed the adverts to be misleading.
The Ladbrokes Life campaign, which has divided opinion since it was launched last month, included the launch of a responsible gambling ad, which Ladbrokes claimed was an industry first, on national television and in-store.
“We believe it is important to continue to promote responsible gambling to ensure people stay within their limits and don’t take unnecessary risks,” Richard Glynn, CEO at Ladbrokes, said.
“We remain focussed on continuing to evolve our approach to promote responsible gambling in conjunction with Government, the Gambling Commission and the industry.”