ASA judges mobile movie ads offensive

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints against Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, which sent “offensive” voice-mail messages to mobile phones to advertise the Hollywood film Minority Report.

The message started with actor Tom Cruise drawing breath and asking: “Where’s my Minority Report?”. He breathed heavily and screamed: “Do I have one?” The ad received 18 complaints. Consumers also objected to having to pay to hear the ad.

The advertiser has been asked to consult the Committee of Advertising Practice Copy Advice team before sending further ads to mobile phones.

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The ASA has not upheld complaints against a cinema and TV ad for Yahoo! UK.

The ad, created by Euro RSCG Wnek Gosper, shows a man waking up after his stag night to find himself naked and tied to a tree. A middle-aged, slightly camp character appears, walking his dog, and the voiceover says: “You can’t trust the kindness of strangers” while the first man looks “concerned”. Complainants objected to the implication that the dog-walker would sexually assault the naked man, saying that the ad stereotypes homosexual men offensively.