JERK ALERT! ASA BATS OFF IDIOTIC COMPLAINT ABOUT LADBROKES GOONIES POST

In a rare moment of sanity, the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled in favour of Ladbrokes and rejected a complaint made about a Facebook post promoting The Goonies slot game. 

As usual, it took just one complaint to set the ASA’s Orwellian gears moving, with some jerk claiming the advert was breaching the CAP Code because it would ‘appeal to children.’ 

However, after an investigation (which presumably cost a fair bit in terms of chocolate Hobnobs and Starbucks), someone at the ASA checked IMDB and discovered The Goonies movie was released in 1985 – so is most likely to strike a cord with those who are considerably over the age of 18! 

In a statement, the ASA said: “We noted that while the ad featured “The Goonies” logo and typeface, it did not feature any characters or other imagery from the film. We considered that the nautical map and golden doubloons featured in the ad were not colourful, cartoonish, or otherwise presented in a way that was likely to resonate with children, and were more likely to have general or adult appeal. 

“We therefore concluded that the ad was not of particular appeal to under-18s and had not breached the Code.”

Maybe this idiocy would stop if the ASA had the ability to levy a charge for unsuccessful complaints? 

Staying with Ladbrokes and the ASA, in February the bookies was scolded by the regulator for running what it called a “socially irresponsible” advert.