The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned a Phones4U advert featuring an animated version of Jesus after receiving almost 100 complaints.
The Phones4U campaign showed Jesus giving a thumbs-up sign and promoting ‘miraculous’ deals on Samsung Android phones at Easter.
ASA claimed the imagery and text of the ads was ‘disrespectful’ and deemed them to be ‘mocking and belittling’ of core Christian beliefs.
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The advertising watchdog believed the adverts would caused serious offence and consequently banned them.
Phones4U defended the adverts arguing that it had aimed to create a “light-hearted, positive and contemporary image of Christianity relevant to the Easter weekend”.
However, following a series of direct complaints from the public, the mobile phone company withdrew the adverts immediately and apologised for any offence caused.
The company has assured customers that it has no intention of running the adverts again.
