ASA bans Churchill ad over false forms claims

The Advertising Standards Authority has banned a TV ad for Churchill home insurance that claimed new customers would not have to fill out forms to make a claim.

The ad, created by WCRS, featured the Churchill dog saying that claims could be made without forms.

But the ASA banned the ad after a report from a customer who did have to complete a form to make a claim.

Churchill acknowledged the statement had been used in error, and said it would ensure that it was not used in future advertising.

The watchdog has also upheld a challenge against a national press ad for Wink-bingo.com that showed a nurse celebrating a bingo win while working on a ward.

Advertising agency Spacebar Media said it was meant to attract females by portraying Winkbingo as “irreverent, cheeky, sassy and a bit naughty” and was not inten-ded to portray the real world.

It argued the words “find the appropriate moment” made clear that the situation shown in the ad was highly inappropriate.

But the ASA ruled that the text, together with the image, was more likely to be understood to condone gambling in the workplace and concluded the ad was in breach of the Committee of Advertising Practice Code.

v Tesco has also been rapped by the ASA for breaching truthfulness regulations after the watchdog found the retailer’s “Why pay more at Asda?” campaign featured two baskets that did not represent an average shop.