Disgusting ad in elephant and castle promoting affairs

[GoodToBeFree]

Have you seen this? How can something like this be allowed

Well.......affairs would presumably breach current Covid laws......

What is it that offends you @GoodToBeFree?

Genuinely curious.

I think it is in poor taste because it mentions children, who are often the innocent losers in situations where affairs destroy relationships. It takes it away from being a “cheeky, naughty”advert to a reminder of the devastation that affairs can cause.

That said, I agree with PPs that it isn’t illegal and I don’t think it warrants complaints. It is just quite sad.

I think the advert is aimed at men, persuading them that there are hordes of bored housewives just waiting for their call to fill the hours now the DC are back at school.

What stops people signing up to see if people they know are on there?

While there are no grounds to ban this it is certainly in bad taste.
As PPs have said, probably no-one who wouldn't cheat would be induced to do so.
However, I hope that whoever came up with it and authorised it finds out that their own partner has been following their advice.....

@SerendipityJane

But you have no right not to be offended. None of us has.

I'm not sure if you meant she has no right to be offended.

If so, I disagree. Everyone absolutely has a right to feel how they want to.

OP... I agree with you. It's in very poor taste and using schools as part of their advertising is awful.

Bad taste, OP you can complain to the ASA. Mind you if I was living anywhere near Elephant and Castle, I'd just be looking for a new place to live.

@BalancedIndividual

What stops people signing up to see if people they know are on there?

It might affect their database and quality of searching for men other users ?

I'm guessing they are hoping they'll be protected from this by a lot of people being nervous of signing up and how it might look ?

@peak2021

Bad taste, OP you can complain to the ASA. Mind you if I was living anywhere near Elephant and Castle, I'd just be looking for a new place to live.

Why would you move due to a billboard advert?

I don’t think it warrants complaints.

If people can complain about Diversity's performance on BGT... they can certainly complain about this. It certainly has more merit.

Enough complaints could actually get it taken down.

I think they've lost business during these times and the advertising company are desperate for the money.

What message does it send to children? You're back in school, so mum or dad can use you not being at home to have an affair...potentially leading to you being shuttled between 2 homes.

It's ridiculous to bring kids into such a thing...something that destabilise their secure home base.

It's been complained about online.

ariupolar.com/blog/advert-encouraging-parents-to-have-affairs-now-children-have-returned-to-school/

Just ignore it as you probably would any advert. The ASA won't take it down as it's neither obscene or offensive (unless you're one of those people who who cry 'offensive' over anything they simply disagree with). It really shouldn't be up to them to take a moral stance anyway.

@peak2021 what’s wrong with the area round the elephant? Apart from needing the best part of a million to buy a small flat.

Slightly off track but I've wondered whether the move to "wfh if you can" scuppered a lot of office affairs (or made them more difficult) during lockdown.
I'm sure if people wanted to they would carry on an affair but it would surely be more difficult.

@SandyY2K Thank you

@peak2021 That made me laugh lol

@OhCaptain I think the ad is tasteless and a bit shocking by mentioning kids going back to school. I think I'd be less offended if it was just advertising affairs - although still against the idea

Sorry but grow up. It's just an advert who cares?

[quote SandyY2K]It's been complained about online.

ariupolar.com/blog/advert-encouraging-parents-to-have-affairs-now-children-have-returned-to-school/[/quote]
Yes I complained about this too. As someone who has been cheated on in the past I do not personally feel affairs need to be promoted

Some stuff is not illegal, but shouldn’t really be advertised. Like fetish sites, porn sites (even if there isn’t anything in the advert itself that is explicit).

Illicit encounters can increase the risk of the unknowing partner contracting an STD, so like cigarettes, there can be a public health issue.

@GoodToBeFree

Have you seen this? How can something like this be allowed

Saw this and just laughed. I guess business must be quiet to resort to billboards!

I was going to say doesn't it break Covid rules! Affair specifically means sex, so they wouldn't get away with the "meeting one on one outdoors" argument. Isn't it specifically promoting and encouraging strangers to meet up indoors, strangers that can't possibly qualify for a support bubble as they are married with a family?

Also, they couldn't use the "oh it's for after Covid rules are relaxed" because it specifically refers to the 8th March, when schools go back!

If I was trying to get it removed this is the route I'd go down.

Yep, one of them would need to be a single adult household and form a bubble with affair partner, but that seems unlikely as their spouse would wonder what happened to their mil/sister/friend who they had been support bubble for!

Why would you move due to a billboard advert?

It was a joke at the expense of Elephant and Castle...