Other images included the elf at a table playing poker with a naked male doll and two female dolls with the caption: “Joker, joker. I really want to poker.”
The teabag and poker ads could be demeaning to women, the ASA said in its ruling. “We considered these ads were irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence by depicting a child’s toy in relation to such sexual acts, therefore breaching the Code,” it added, referring to the codes written by U.K. body the Committees of Advertising Practice.
The other seven ads with sexual images were banned for being irresponsible and likely to cause offense as well as being on social media that could be seen by children.
In its response to the complaints, Poundland said that its campaign was based on humor and double-entendres, according to the ASA’s ruling on its website. It added that it did not intend to offend anyone and said: “A large number of people found the campaign to be humorous, engaging and in line with what it meant to be British.”
