In being completely appalled by this attitude to Oscar Pitorius' trial?

[perfectstorm]

So Paddy Power have decided to run a poster campaign and national media ad campaign on whether Oscar Pitorius is convicted of killing his girlfriend, complete with an image of him as an Oscar award, and the slogan " "It's Oscar Time. Money Back If He Walks." Their blog says, "Global media attention, bar-stool conversation and pillow talk will shift from the Oscars on Sunday night to Oscar on Monday when the Blade Runner straps on his prosthetic limbs for the long walk to the high court."

I don't know if it was an accident or whether he murdered her, but does it actually matter? A young woman is dead, this is a murder trial, and they think it's casual entertainment people can take a flutter on, akin to the sodding Oscars.

Are they run by David Brent?

from an advertising code perspective Muslim's stink (offensive but o.k.) is absolutely NOT ok - don't be ridiculous, its not decent and its not true.

You might be able to say it to your mother without falling foul of any laws but you can't put it on twitter or a billboard or a website.

I read it as a parody of this whole trial and Pistorius - ridiculing the outrageous circus element of this trial! Quite dark parodying I know but making a serious point through parody, and in it's own way supporting Reeva and her family's position.

Meant more as satire rather than humour.

for the avoidance of doubt the ASA and advertising codes also cover social media Marketing on companies’ own websites and in other space they control like social networking sites Twitter and Facebook

Animation wouldn't that be a lovely thought that the people who thought up this bright idea in PaddyPower were being satirical rahter than just trying to get some easy publicity off the back of a horrible event...

I don't think you can satirically point out that people profit from the entertainment element of a trial if you are an actual bookmaker taking bets and using the trial to promote your company.

"Your honour, the defendant asserts their right to rob the bank as long as they were doing it satirically…"

Satire is used here I think to criticise and expose the stupidity - of the South African court system and the televising it, and maybe also Pistorius's stupidity I'm not sure.

That's how I read it anyway. I didn't read it literally.

A friend of mine works for Paddy Power To be honest I think you're way overthinking what their thought process was.

Their advertising has form for being offensive rather than satirical.

I think we need to distinguish between a voluntary code (which doesn't apply in this instance anyway) and the law.

I've been racially abused in the past. It's not plesant; howver, although I might not like what some people have to say and I'm sure a tiny minority don't agree with my views I'll defend with my life their right to say it.

I'm a little unclear as to what people believe would be an approriate outcome - as it surely can't be the banning of such material. It's a slippery slope, and we're already on it.

If you look at the comments on this article you'll see that even seasoned gamblers are appalled by PP's stance.

I'm in agreement, it's poor taste. The proof of the pudding though will be in their financial results.

By the way, although I take a contrary view to many, I do accept that they have a right to be offended.

why don't you think its applicable

the advertising of it would certainly be covered by the ASA and they do cover online advertsing, banners on their website, twitter etc.

Compliance with ASA ruling is actually a part of the licence of the broadcasters (which I accept isn't the issue here) so it isn't exactly voluntary in the sense that broadcasters would be in breach of their licence if they ignored and ASA ruling. ONline stuff harder to enforce generally but can for example compel internet search engines to remove references to the offending material even if its been paid for.

Because I'd be pretty sure that the advert would have to originte from the UK - which this doesn't.

Except that the website is hosted by a company in Milton Keynes and they have a significant UK presence so if they are putting this up for UK customers to see they have a responsibility which the ASA could act on.

I thought that the campaign in question originated in the Irish print media (I could be wrong). That it's been reproduced (unofficlaly I suspect) on social media and the like is neither here nor there. Plent of things are reproduced on the internet which go against the grain.

FYI There is video on this story from BBC Trending here www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26435787

its not just web based. They have rolled out a UK print based campaign which (judging by the fact that the ASA have launched an investigation into this campaign) I'm certain would be covered by the ASA - print campaigns published in UK fall within ASA remit.

Would now be a good time to say that I worked in advertising for nearly 20 years?

FYI There is a video on this story on BBC Trending www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-26435787

The "poster" is up on their blog which is on the site I am seeing in the UK. And they are able to work out that I am in the UK because they are offering me bets on the English premier league, prices in £ etc.

And this sort of advertising campaign is intended to go viral to get your name in front of people. I suspect they were hoping for more laughs and less vitriol though.

random strangers replicating a non-UK advert would not be covered by ASA. UK Employees of Paddy Power tweeting under the Paddy Power name would be covered.

There has been at least one ruling against Paddy Power in recent years - the fact that they're Irish isn;t relevant if they use UK media (including UK search engines, twitter accounts websites etc)

Online is harder to prove if they host offshore but my understanding is that there is a UK print campaign.

They don't host offshore Kew: Whois shows their technology company with a UK address.

thanks Tea

Its a moot point because ASA are investigating so apparently they think a UK print campaign falls within their remit.

And ASA and relevant codes are only voluntary becasue the industry agreed to enforce them vigourously when it was set up in the 60's hence it being written into the licence agreements of all the major broadcasters that they will comply with ASA rulings. Industry was very clearly told then - self regulate effectively or we will bring in legislation.

On the whole it does work very well and certainly is taken seriously by all advertisers I've ever worked with and their agencies. If you constantly reoffend then you have to have pre-clearance of every campaign and trust me Paddy Power won't be relying on just viral campaigns for their advertising.