Ryanair 'jab and go' TV ad banned for encouraging Covid-19 risk-taking

The UK’s advertising watchdog has banned Ryanair’s controversial “jab and go” holiday TV campaign, saying it encouraged the public to act irresponsibly once they have received a coronavirus vaccination shot. The Advertising Standards Authority’s decision to ban the two TV ads, which have become the third most complained-about campaign of all time, comes days after the Ryanair chief executive, Michael O’Leary, said the vaccine programme would allow British families to flock to Europe for summer holidays this year. The ad campaign, which featured a small bottle labelled “vaccine” and a syringe, encouraged the public to snap up bargain deals to sunny European destinations such as Spain and Greece because “you could jab and go”. Launched on Boxing Day, the ad said “Covid vaccines are coming so book your Easter and summer holidays today with Ryanair”. The ads showed groups in their 20s and 30s engaged in activities such as jumping in a pool and being served at a restaurant, with no social distancing or use of face coverings. The campaign struck a nerve with the public, prompting 2,370 complaints to the ASA. Some complainants said it was misleading to suggest most people would be vaccinated by spring or summer and so be able to go abroad, and that being vaccinated meant no restrictions would be in place. Others said it was irresponsible because it encouraged people to believe that once they had even the first vaccination shot they would not need follow health restrictions.<br/>