It’s the most wonderful time of the year – unless you’re a parent whose child just watched the new festive PayPal advert.
If you were watching the X-Factor over the weekend, you might have caught a glimpse of the Christmas PayPal advert.
The clip follows two young brothers trying to catch their parents bringing home Christmas presents – but parents claim the advert tells children Santa isn’t real.
Speaking to The Guardian, a spokesperson for PayPal apologised for the upset explaining:
“We just want to take a moment to say we’re sorry that some people have been upset by our new UK Christmas TV advert.
“Our ad aims to take a fun look at those Christmas presents kids know come from their parents, and not in any way say Father Christmas doesn’t also deliver presents to them.”
Angry by the lack of consideration, people took to Twitter to call for a ban on airing the ad:
Am I alone at being upset over @PayPal advert ruining Father Christmas for my kids? We all know we can do Xmas shopping online!
— Sarah Hoey (@Shoey30) November 1, 2015
Yeah, @PayPal , I watched your advert with my kids this weekend and you nearly ruined Christmas. ಠ_ಠ https://t.co/8D0HmtlA2v — jamescrawford (@jamescrawford) November 3, 2015
Thinking the marketing person who has come up with the @PayPal advert hasn’t got children #keepthemagic
— Leanne McKie (@booshkin) November 1, 2015
Awful advert from @paypal seriously what were you thinking. Way to ruin Christmas for millions of children, just glad mine missed it. — Luke Guppy (@lukeguppy) November 1, 2015
The Advertising Standards Authority has received more than 233 complaints that the advertisement is offensive and that it has ruined Christmas.
Not exactly the same feel-good nostalgia you might associate with Cornflake’s Ho Ho Ho ad…
