Short shrift

The first adjudication since the new rules relating to gambling advertising were introduced has been released by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). A complaint was made about a national press ad which showed a short man in a stretch limousine, flanked by two glamorous-looking women, holding a glass of champagne and a cigar. The accompanying text stated: “Who says you can’t make money being short?” The ASA upheld the complaint that the ad irresponsibly linked gambling to seduction, sexual success and enhanced attractiveness. The ASA also 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. The ASA concluded that the ad was irresponsible.