Hair-raising ad banned
Source: Agencies |
December 17, 2009, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN advert for a television dating show has been banned for suggesting that people with ginger hair are unattractive, Britain's advertising watchdog said yesterday.
Virgin Media's newspaper advert for the program "Dating in the Dark" included the text: "How do you spot a ginger in the dark?"
Virgin said the premise of the show was to challenge people's perception of attractiveness and to encourage decisions based on personality as well as looks.
However the Advertising Standards Authority agreed with three complainants that the ad was likely to cause serious offense and should not be used again.
"We considered the text was likely to be interpreted ... as a statement that reflected a choice between looks and personality ... being a suggestion that people with ginger hair were unattractive," the ASA said in a statement.
"We considered the ad was unlikely to be interpreted to be light-hearted in tone and was instead likely to be seen as prejudicial against people with ginger hair."
Other adverts used to promote the show had included the tagline: "When the lights come on I just hope I haven't been kissing Shrek."
Virgin Media's newspaper advert for the program "Dating in the Dark" included the text: "How do you spot a ginger in the dark?"
Virgin said the premise of the show was to challenge people's perception of attractiveness and to encourage decisions based on personality as well as looks.
However the Advertising Standards Authority agreed with three complainants that the ad was likely to cause serious offense and should not be used again.
"We considered the text was likely to be interpreted ... as a statement that reflected a choice between looks and personality ... being a suggestion that people with ginger hair were unattractive," the ASA said in a statement.
"We considered the ad was unlikely to be interpreted to be light-hearted in tone and was instead likely to be seen as prejudicial against people with ginger hair."
Other adverts used to promote the show had included the tagline: "When the lights come on I just hope I haven't been kissing Shrek."
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