Ad ban

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled that the ad for the Reed recruitment agency reinforces negative stereotypes. The advertisement showed a man talking to his boss, who answered furiously in German.

"Boss a bit of a tyrant? Find your perfect boss on the UK's biggest job site," the voiceover said.

But after 13 listeners complained, the Advertising Standards Authority has ordered Reed not to broadcast the advertisement again.

"The humour derived from a stereotype at the expense of German people. We considered that the portrayal suggested that German people were more likely to be unreasonable or aggressive to others," the ASA said.

"The ad reinforced a negative and outdated cultural stereotype of German people as overpowering and tyrannical and therefore the ad had the potential to cause serious offence to some listeners."

db/dpa/AP
Editor: Rob Turner