When his partner asks if he thinks she’ll end up looking like her mother, a man in the March commercial answers inappropriately.
It showed a young man in a room with his girlfriend’s family, with her mother bringing tea, playing Paddy Power’s ‘Wonder Wheel’ game on his phone.
‘Do you think I’ll end up looking like my mother?’ his friend queried. He stepped away from his computer for a moment to thank her for giving him a drink.
‘I hope so,’ the man said, his mind on the gambling game, before realizing he had said something incorrect.
‘No matter how horribly you screw it up, you’ll always get another opportunity with Paddy Power games,’ says the voice-over, as the man smiles and returns his attention to his phone.
The Paddy Power commercial featured a man who was distracted by gaming and made a “inappropriate” remark. (Photo courtesy of PA)
The advertisement generated four complaints, two of which stated the ad depicted someone who was so preoccupied with gambling that they made an improper remark in conversation.
They stated Paddy Power was irresponsible for promoting gambling as the most important aspect of life.
According to PPB Counterparty Services, which trades as Paddy Power, the commercial depicted a traditional family environment in which a young man had dutifully gone to his girlfriend’s parents’ house for Sunday lunch, implying a dedication to family life.
The man in the advertisement took a quick break from his gambling game to gaze at his partner’s mother (Picture: PA)
According to them, the ad was meant to be lighthearted, and the young man showed no signs of serious gambling behavior at any point.
‘We considered that the humour in the ad focused on a blunder made when the man was distracted by the gambling game, which generated a humorous moment of awkwardness and shame,’ the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) responded.
‘We recognised the ad was light-hearted in tone but considered that most viewers would understand that the young man behaved in a way which was not appropriate at a family event because he was distracted by gambling.’
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) concluded that the advertisement depicted gaming “taking precedence over family.” (Photo courtesy of PA)
They went on to say, “We accepted it was a brief moment, because we considered most viewers would understand that distraction caused by gambling had caused an embarrassing gaffe at a family event, and we therefore concluded that the ad portrayed gambling as taking priority in life over family,” adding, “We therefore concluded that the ad portrayed gambling as taking priority in life over family.”
‘We told Paddy Power to ensure that future commercials did not portray gambling as vital or as taking priority in life, or portray, condone, or encourage gambling behavior that was socially irresponsible,’ the ASA continued.
A Paddy Power spokesman said: ‘Paddy Power is committed to responsible practice and it is always our intention to comply with the advertising codes.
‘We accept the decision of the ASA and will consider its broader guidance moving forwards.’