William Hill's 'irresponsible' gambling addict ad banned

by Nikki Sandison, Brand Republic 28-May-08, 08:00

LONDON - A television ad for bookmaker William Hill's online bingo, featuring a woman so desperate to play that she tricks her husband, has been banned by the advertising standards authority for condoning socially irresponsible gambling behaviour.

The TV ad, created by Home, shows a man having his breakfast and a woman waiting for him to finish. She then walks over to the clock and moves the minute hand forward from 7.15am to 7.30am and says to her husband "Darling shouldn't you be going?".

As soon as he has dashed out the door she says: "I get mine the minute he's out the door". She then runs up the stairs to play William Hill online bingo.

A voiceover says: "William Hill bingo... a massive online community, when will you get your William Hill bingo thrill?"

The Advertising Standards Authority received three complaints from viewers who said that the ad was harmful because it depicted someone who was addicted to gambling and was attempting to hide that from her family by deception.

William Hill defended the ad, saying that it was a humorous look at the everyday scenario of a woman wanting to get on with her day once her husband had left the house, punctuated by taking a break to play bingo.

However, the ASA upheld the complaints because it said that the comment, "I get mine the minute he's left the house", implied that the woman was desperate to play bingo and was either unable to wait any longer or wanted to keep it a secret from her husband.

It considered that the implication was further reinforced by the woman rushing upstairs and moving the hands of her clock back so that she had more time to play.

The advertising watchdog concluded that because the ad portrayed gambling as indispensable and taking priority over the woman's family that it condoned gambling behaviour that was socially irresponsible.