ASA censures Rank Group ad featuring celebrity drag queen

Rank Group has been reprimanded by the Advertising Standards Agency (AGA) over an Instagram post which suggested gambling could “enhance a person’s self-image or self-esteem”.

The post from Mecca Bingo, which was seen on 16 August and drew two complaints from the public, featured two images of popular drag queen, Baga Chipz.

In the first image, Baga Chipz was not smiling while dressed in plain, dark clothes and with no makeup. The second image showed them smiling, with a glass of champagne and a full face of makeup.

The text above both images read: “Before playing Mecca Bingo vs after playing Mecca Bingo” with the accompanying caption: “A good game can transform you! Don’t you just love that post-bingo glow.”

The caption also included the hashtags #winning, #bingo, #winningfeeling and #feelinggood.

The complaints challenged whether the post suggested gambling could enhance a person’s self-image or self-esteem and was therefore irresponsible in its messaging.

In response to the challenge, Mecca Bingo said the ad did not intimate this and instead was used to “convey that their services were fun and entertaining”.

The operator added that it deliberately did not reference to winning any bingo games and that the term “good game” was intended to refer to the positive experience and atmosphere associated with the brand.

On the use of popular drag queen Baga Chipz, the firm pointed out the phrase “transform” related to the common theme of drag queen culture, notably the TV show RuPaul’s Drag Race UK in which Baga competed in 2019.

However, Mecca Bingo did acknowledge that the ad “could have been misinterpreted if viewed without understanding it in its full context”.

In its assessment, the ASA upheld the complaints and decided the image implied an individual would achieve a higher self-image by playing bingo.

The watchdog also hit out at the ad’s caption and associated hashtags, adding an individual’s self-esteem could improve not only by playing bingo but also by winning.

The ASA also noted that while the use of Baga Chipz would be interpreted as a reference to drag queens by some viewers, the body noted the “overall impression” of the ad suggested gambling could improve an individual’s self-image or self-esteem.

The ASA told Rank Group that the ad must not appear again in any form and that the operator should ensure its future marketing communications did not suggest gambling could lead to an enhancement in self-image or self-esteem.

Speaking to EGR, a Rank Group spokesperson said: “We acknowledge the ASA’s conclusions, although our view is that the post was very evidently light hearted and the vast majority of people who saw it will have recognised it as nothing more than a bit of fun.

“However, we will, of course, adhere to the instruction not to use this social media post in future communications,” they added.