Watchdog slams Smirnoff advert

The vodka maker insists it never set out to offend

A Smirnoff Vodka advert depicting a nude man in grave danger of causing himself serious pain has been ruled offensive by the UK's advertising watchdog.

Smirnoff rejected an assertion that its advert could lead to excessive drinking

The poster which showed the man sliding down a banister and carried the slogan "If Smirnoff Made Painkillers" was slammed by the Advertising Standards Authority because they believed his private parts were just about visible.

Smirnoff's owners, Guinness United Distillers and Vintners, reject the claim, insisting that the man was actually wearing skin-coloured pants, adding that the advert did not set out to offend.

The watchdog said that whether or not he was wearing pants, the general public would assume he was not and therefore the advert would be likely to cause offence.

The company also said the advert was meant to be a "humorous, visual pun and was part of a campaign using surreal humour depicting the improbable and bizarre".

It rejected an assertion by the watchdog that the advert could encourage people to drink excessively.

Guinness has promised not to run the advert again.