Adverts featuring twerking businessmen in high heels and shorts and blind footballers kicking cats were among the most complained-about commercials of 2016.
MoneySuperMarket dominated the top 10 - none of which were banned - with its three ads featuring Gary the dancing bodyguard and the twerking businessman Dave and his builder rival Colin.
The three ads received a combined 2,491 complaints from offended viewers who found Gary’s dance moves “distasteful” and argued that the ads featuring Dave and Colin could be seen to be homophobic and could encourage hate crimes.
Match.com’s ad showing a woman removing her female partner’s top and passionately kissing her received 896 complaints from viewers who believed it was sexually explicit and inappropriately scheduled.
Paddy Power’s ad featuring blindfolded men playing football was first shown in 2010, when it generated more than 1,000 complaints, and its re-run last year drew another 450 submissions to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
The ASA found that none of the 10 ads “crossed the line” between bad taste and offence.
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