Ad description
An in-game ad for GoodNovel, an online reading platform, seen in the Connect word mobile game in April 2026, featured the title “The Alpha’s contract” above two images. The first image was a cropped head and shoulder image of a muscular man leaning towards the viewer. The second showed a cropped image of a woman on the floor, physically restrained by their arms.
Below the images, text stated, “Where the heck is she? I hear the Beta scream” and “the only servant of the house […] grabbing the cleaning basket”. Further text stated, “he strides towards me and his hand slices against my cheek. I don’t make a sound. Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too [sic] even if what they are doing to me hurts”.
Additional text stated, “Alpha Trey and I are expecting company and you still have not cleaned the office like you were asked. Beta Kyle spits at me” and “I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food”.
Issue
The complainant, who believed the ad contained references to violence including sexual violence, challenged whether it was irresponsible, offensive and contained harmful gender stereotypes.
Response
Singapore New Reading Technology Pte Ltd t/a GoodNovel said the ad promoted a fictional fantasy romance novel. They explained that terms such as “Alpha” and “Beta” were not intended to condone or trivialise violence, sexual violence, coercive behaviour, degrading treatment or harmful gender stereotypes. They said that the ad was no longer active and that it would not be published again.
Hitapps, the developer of the app in which the ad was seen, said the ad was served through the “AppLovin” bidding platform and was not exclusive to their game “Connect Word”, but could have appeared across various mobile games and applications. They said they did not create, choose or pre-approve ads delivered via third-party ad networks. They said they had not received any direct complaints about the ad. Following a wider review of GoodNovel ads across their apps, they said they had observed a similar pattern across the advertiser’s campaigns and, as a precaution, had decided to block that advertising across all their applications.
Applovin, the network which served the ad, stated that their policies prohibited ads that could be considered violent or sexual in nature and that non-compliance could result in enforcement action, including the pausing of ads or the banning of advertiser accounts. They also said they had taken immediate action to ensure the ad was no longer being served through their network, and reminded the advertiser of their policies.
Assessment
Upheld
The CAP Code stated that marketing communications must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society, and must not contain anything that was likely to cause serious or widespread offence. The Code also stated that marketing communications must contain nothing that was likely to condone or encourage violence or anti-social behaviour, and must not include gender stereotypes that were likely to cause harm or serious or widespread offence.
The ad appeared in the Connect word mobile game and was headed “The Alpha’s contract”. It included an image of a muscular man leaning towards the viewer, alongside an image of a woman restrained on the floor by their wrists. Text in the ad referred to “the only servant of the house […] grabbing the cleaning basket”, “his hand slices against my cheek”, “Years of experience has taught me to keep my mouth shut at all times and only speak when spoken too [sic]”, and “I didn’t need locking up for another week with no food”.
We considered consumers were likely to interpret the ad as depicting a character that was subordinate to male members of a household and subject to violence, coercive control, and punishment by them. The references to “Years of experience” and being locked up “for another week” suggested an ongoing pattern of abuse, including physical violence, confinement and deprivation of food, rather than a single isolated incident.
We considered the imagery reinforced that impression. The restrained figure was likely to be understood as representing the same female referred to in the text, and the juxtaposition of that image below a muscular male figure, suggested subordination. In that context, we also considered the image of restraint would be understood as depicting coercive and threatening treatment, and was likely to be seen by some consumers as having a sexualised element.
We also understood that the terms “Alpha” and “Beta” could be associated, particularly in online discussions about gender roles and relationships, with hierarchies of male dominance, authority and control. Therefore, we considered the title “The Alpha’s contract”, together with the references to “Beta”, reinforced the impression that a male held power over a female, rather than depicting a mutual or freely chosen relationship.
Furthermore, by presenting the female character as a servant who was expected to clean, remain silent, endure violence, and accept punishment, the ad reinforced the harmful stereotypes that women should be domestic as well as submissive and tolerant of mistreatment.
Because we considered the ad condoned violence and coercive behaviour and reinforced a harmful gender stereotype, we further considered it was likely to cause serious and widespread offence. We therefore concluded the ad was irresponsible and breached the Code.
The ad breached CAP Code (Edition 12) rules 1.3 (Social responsibility), 4.1, 4.4 and 4.9 (Harm and offence).
Action
The ad must not appear again in the form complained of. We told Singapore New Reading Technology Pte Ltd t/a GoodNovel to ensure that their ads were socially responsible and did not condone or encourage violence or include harmful gender stereotypes likely to cause harm or serious and widespread offence.
