Paddy Power plc Paddy Power Trader Paddy Power Airton House Airton Road Tallaght Dublin 24 Number of complaints: 1

Date: 23 April 2008 Media: National press Sector: Leisure

Ad
A national press ad, in the Times, showed a short man in the back of a stretch limousine; he was holding a glass of champagne and a cigar and was flanked by two glamorous-looking women.  Text stated "WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T MAKE MONEY BEING SHORT? Financial Spread Betting lets you bet on falling (going short) as well as rising share prices (going long), allowing you to make the most out of volatile markets".

Issue
1. The complainant challenged whether the ad irresponsibly linked gambling to seduction, sexual success and enhanced attractiveness.

2. The ASA challenged whether the ad breached the Code by implying gambling could improve self-image or self-esteem or was a way to gain control, superiority, recognition or admiration.

The CAP Code:

57.4(h);2.2;57.4(f)

Response
London Capital Group Ltd trading as Paddypowertrader.com (Paddy Power) said that they had not intended to breach the CAP Code and that they did not believe the ad did so. They said the ad targeted a very specific group of people in the financial spread betting community who would be aware of the connotations of 'going' or 'being' short. They said this was a term used to describe a particular financial spread betting activity. They said the ad was a play on words and that they believed it would be understood in the financial spread betting fraternity as a whimsical and far-fetched interpretation of the term. They said the ad was not intended to imply that financial spread betting could improve self-image, or self-control, or that it was a way to gain control, superiority, recognition or admiration. They said that the aim of the ad was to promote to the target audience the activity of 'going short' whilst re-enacting a famous scene from the film "Wall Street". Nevertheless, Paddy Power said in the light of the ASA's communication with them, they had withdrawn the ad from all UK media outlets.

News International on behalf of The Times said they had not received any direct complaints about the ad; however, they said they noted Paddy Power had withdrawn the ad from all UK media outlets and they agreed with this decision.

Assessment
We welcomed Paddy Power's assurance that they had withdrawn the ad from all UK media outlets.

1. Upheld
We considered that the ad was likely to be seen to play on a traditional stereotype of male attractiveness that was sometimes prejudiced against shorter men and to suggest that desirable female companionship was attainable for short men too through the enhanced attractiveness provided by wealth (acquired by gambling). We noted the advertiser's argument that the ad targeted a particular specialist audience but also noted it was placed in The Times, a national newspaper, and considered that it would also have a wider appeal. We concluded that, by showing the man flanked by two glamorous women in the context of a direct reference to making money through financial spread betting, the ad irresponsibly linked gambling with sexual success and enhanced attractiveness.

On this point the ad breached CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility) and 57.4 (h) (Gambling and sexual success).

2. Upheld
We noted the ad was set in a stretch limousine and that the man was enjoying a glass of champagne and a cigar in the company of two scantily clad and attractive women. We considered that stretch limousines, champagne, cigars and beautiful women were popularly associated with male success, and that the ad invited readers to recognise and admire the success of the man portrayed in it. We also noted that the man was short, and that this was stereotypically seen as a disadvantage for a man in terms of his sexual attractiveness. We considered that the ad suggested that the man's self-image or self esteem, which could have been hampered by his stature, had been transformed by his financial success. We concluded the ad suggested this man's "shortcoming" had been overcome by the wealth he had acquired through gambling and therefore that the ad implied gambling was a way to improve self-esteem or gain recognition or admiration. We concluded the ad was irresponsible.

On this point the ad breached CAP Code clauses 2.2 (Social responsibility) and 57.4 (f) (Gambling and personal success).

Action
We told Paddy Power not to repeat the approach.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Non-broadcast)