“The new Game Boy Pocket. Seriously distracting.”

Nintendo’s advertising agency Leo Burnett ran this mature-targeted Game Boy Pocket ad in Loaded, FHM, and Viz, reasoning that it fit those UK magazines’ audiences.

Several readers complained, however, and said the girl looked terrified and held against her will — Nintendo wanted to convey her frustration over her partner ignoring their bedroom bondage activities to play Tetris.

The Advertising Standards Authority asked Nintendo to remove the ads from future issues, and described the company as irresponsible for implying the restrained woman was “subjugated and humiliated”. Isn’t that what sadomasochism is about?

[Via Daphaknee]

tags / leo burnett / ads / game boy pocket / ec