ASA rejects Buzz Bingo action figure ad complaints
Despite the Facebook post using an action figure image, the ASA concluded that it “was not likely to be of strong appeal to those under 18 years of age.”
Key points:
– The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has chosen to not uphold complaints against Buzz Bingo over an ‘action figure’ ad posted on Facebook in April
– The ad followed the popular ‘starter pack’ AI image trend, but did not include characteristics of cartoons aimed at children
A Facebook post by Buzz Bingo Grimsby came under investigation by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), after two complaints suggested it may be appealing to under-18s.
The post, published on 12 April, featured a cartoon woman in a box, mimicking an action figure, with the text “[NAME] ACTION FIGURE” on the box. The image followed the popular AI image trend that sees individuals creating ‘starter packs’ of themselves, typically including a cartoon of themselves and things related to their hobbies or work, and in this instance included a bingo dabber, bingo cards and a numbered ball.
Accompanying text to the post read: “For a limited time only Buzz Bingo Action Figures [crying laughing face emoji] Only available at Buzz Bingo Grimsby! [eyes emoji] T&Cs Apply […] Player Together [sic], Safely […] Over 18s Only.” The text also included a Gamble Aware link.
Buzz Group argued that the cartoon was based on the likeness of the General Manager of Buzz Bingo Grimsby, as opposed to a celebrity, with the cartoon in office attire and the associated items avoiding bright colours or overly stylised artwork.
Good to know: In June, the ASA upheld a complaint against Ladbrokes for its ‘Ladbucks’ advertising campaign, which was deemed to be appealing to under-18s.
The operator admitted that the post followed the aforementioned ‘starter pack’ trend, though it “believed it had incorporated it into its ad responsibly.” The Facebook page the ad was posted to also only allows those who have self-identified as over 18.
The ASA agreed with the operator, concluding that the post “was not likely to be of strong appeal to those under 18 years of age.” It was acknowledged that the post followed a popular trend, yet kept a “realistic rather than cartoon-like” style, adding: “The figure depicted was an adult who did not have exaggerated features, was wearing a simple shirt and was not a recognisable or well-known character.
“The colours were muted rather than bright and were not reminiscent of dolls or action figures that were typically marketed towards children. We considered that the “action figure” depicted was unlikely to be viewed by children as an appealing toy to play with.”
No further action has been deemed necessary.
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