…By Alan Peterson for TDPel Media. A tweet by Ladbrokes has been deemed “irresponsible” and subsequently banned by the ASA for featuring Jake Paul, a YouTuber and professional boxer popular among teenagers.
The tweet, seen in February on Ladbrokes’ Twitter feed, included an image of Paul alongside a caption asking followers to vote on his next move after a split decision defeat.
Breach of Advertising Rules for Under-18 Appeal
The ASA investigated whether the tweet violated advertising rules by featuring an individual likely to strongly appeal to individuals under the age of 18.
The tweet contained a poll with options for Paul’s next career move, such as a rematch, venturing into MMA, returning to YouTube, or joining WWE.
Ladbrokes’ Defense and Age-Gating Measures
Ladbrokes defended the tweet, stating that it was posted after the fight between Jake Paul and Tommy Fury and did not include any promotional calls to action or links to their website.
They further explained that their Twitter feed and respective tweets were age-gated, only accessible to users after Twitter verified their age as over 18.
Jake Paul’s Social Media Presence and Appeal to Under-18s
The ASA acknowledged Jake Paul’s significant social media following, with 65 million followers across YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter.
They noted that a substantial portion of his followers, approximately three million on each platform, were registered as under 18.
Additionally, the ASA pointed out that Paul had previously appeared on the Disney Channel’s children’s TV program Bizaardvark, which had a young audience.
Ruling and Ban by the ASA
The ASA concluded that Jake Paul possessed inherent strong appeal to individuals under 18, considering his previous work on the Disney Channel and his continued popularity among young viewers.
Consequently, the ASA deemed the Ladbrokes tweet irresponsible and in violation of the advertising code.
The ruling stipulated that the ad must not appear again, emphasizing the prohibition against featuring individuals or characters with strong appeal to those under 18.
Conclusion:
Ladbrokes’ tweet featuring Jake Paul has been banned by the ASA due to its appeal to individuals under the age of 18.
The ad’s inclusion of a poll regarding Paul’s next career move was seen as irresponsible and in violation of advertising standards.
The ruling serves as a reminder to advertisers to exercise caution when featuring individuals with a strong appeal to younger audiences.
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