Payday loans firm warned over adverts aimed at children

The advertisement for Speedy Cash featured an image of Father Christmas alongside the offer of free photos and the promise that "every child gets a Christmas treat" at the December 13 event in Brixton, south London.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) noted that the ad did not refer to any services offered by Speedy Cash, but said the nature of the event meant it would be of particular relevance to families with children and of particular appeal to younger children.

It said: "We understood that there was no age restriction on who could enter shops that offered services including payday loans and that the nature of the event meant that children would be accompanied by their parent or guardian.

"However, we concluded that marketing an event aimed at children which took place in a shop that offered services including payday loans was socially irresponsible."

It ruled that the ad must not appear again in its current form, adding: "We told Speedy Cash not to target ads for in-store events at families with children."

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