Poundland’s x-rated naughty elf is behind bars after ads are banned by adverting watchdog
The elf said he was sorry the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) found his "double entendres hard to swallow"
POUNDLAND'S controversial Christmas advertising campaign featuring a naughty elf has been banned for being likely to cause widespread offence.
The budget retailer provoked a storm of outrage on social media before Christmas with its series of Twitter and Facebook ads showing the elf in various sexual poses and positions.
And now the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has banned the ads after receiving 85 complaints.
The storm was sparked when Poundland posted a picture of the elf standing over a female doll and asking: "How do you like your tea? One lump or two?"
The pic also featured a box of Twinnings Classic teabags, with the company accusing Poundland of "misusing" its product.
Other pics showed the elf playing cards with a group of naked dolls, drawing a Christmas tree that looks suspiciously like a man's penis, and riding a cuddly toy donkey with the caption "Don't tell Rudolph I've found a new piece of ass."
He was also seen taking on Star Wars villain Darth Vader in a lightsaber battle - but instead of using the Jedi weapon of choice, he's using a sex toy.
In its defence Poundland said that a "large number" of people found the campaign funny, adding that they didn't want to offend anyone.
But ASA said that as there was no age-restriction on the adverts could have been seen my children, while many of the pictures contained obvious sexual references.
It ruled that the ads must not appear again and told Poundland to make sure its future advertising was presented with a "sense of responsibility and did not cause serious or widespread offence."
, the "naughty elf" who appears behind bars, didn't seem to upset about having his ads banned.
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He said: "Britain’s the home of saucy postcards, carry on films and panto, so I’m sad the ASA found my double entendres hard to swallow.
"At least it’s only 84 people who had a sense of humour failure compared to the tens of thousands who got the joke and liked and shared my posts online.
"I’m doing everything I can to be good so I can get out on good behaviour later this year."
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