Watchdog bans Center Parcs advert promoting term-time family holidays

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/apr/23/ban-center-parcs-advert-term-holidays-school

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An advertisement for Center Parcs resorts has been banned for "irresponsibly" encouraging parents to take their children on holiday during term time.

The television ad, promoting four-night midweek breaks, showed families with school-age children taking part in various activities, with small print stating that the offer excluded school holidays.

Two viewers complained that it was irresponsible because it encouraged parents to take their children out of school.

Center Parcs said it was parents' responsibility to exercise judgment regarding their children, and nothing in the ad encouraged them to take their children out of school.

The advertising clearance service Clearcast said the issue of taking children on holiday during term time was the responsibility of parents, who would be aware that rules had recently been tightened to discourage the practice.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said: "We considered the emphasis of the ad was on a family break and that the overall impression was that families could take advantage of the advertised offer, which was not available at weekends or during school holidays.

"We also noted the final on-screen text stated "Your family. Your time", which we considered was likely to be an encouragement for parents to take up the offer.

"Because the ad had focused on a family break to promote an offer, which was available only during term time, we concluded it irresponsibly encouraged parents to take their children out of school."

The ASA ruled that the advertisement must not appear again in its current form, adding: "We told Center Parcs to avoid promoting family breaks which were available only during school term times."