Tombola Bingo TV Advert Banned
18th March, 2010
A TV advert created by ad agency Euro RSCG for Tombola bingo has been banned on racial grounds. The advertisement portrayed a white man wearing a dinner suit with a black man in a floral shirt playing a ukulele sat by a fire on the beach repeating everything that the white man said in song.
The advertising standards agency (ASA) received two complaints about the advert as it presented a negative racial stereotype. However, Clearcast who approve adverts before they are broadcast didn’t think that the advert could be interpreted in that manner.
The ASA upheld the complaints commenting that relationship between the characters, ''defined as the power of the white man over the black man''.
The character’s dress was particularly noted with the white man wearing a dinner suit, with the black man wearing casual attire and was portrayed to be less intelligent due to him repeating everything the white man said. The black man looked towards the black man for reassurance and instruction which could suggest that he lacked confidence and intellect.
The ASA ruled: ''We considered that the ad could be interpreted as humiliating, stigmatising or undermining the standing of the black character and was therefore likely to cause serious offence.''
The ASA has stated that the as cannot be broadcast again in its current form and has warned the online bingo company against presenting negative racial stereotypes in future.
By Gina
