BigShinyThing

The online travel company and their ad agency were reprimanded by the ASA and garnered a load of negative press for a Popbitchesque ‘quip’. According to the BBC:

Lastminute.com breached decency rules by mentioning sex offender Gary Glitter in an advert for children’s theatre tickets, the industry watchdog said. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) ruled the advert was likely to cause serious or widespread offence.

Showing two young boys, it stated: “Like Gary Glitter in a sweet shop, you too can have your pick of kiddy treats in London’s theatre world”.

The online firm apologised and said the advert had now been withdrawn.

A spokesman for the website said: “We aim to create advertising which makes us stand out. However, on this occasion we realise that there has been an error in our judgment.”

This type of scraping-the-bone humour may be standard fare for blogs and message boards but doesn’t work for mass market, mainstream brands. Markets might well be conversations, but you need to learn the vernacular appropriate to those conversations before jumping in with your marketing communications. Listen and learn, people!