Kane and Lynch ads belatedly banned in UK

Advertising Standards Authority upholds complaints about the UK advertising campaign for Eidos' violent shooter...months after its release.

SCi-owned Eidos has had its knuckles rapped by the ASA over its TV, poster, and magazine ads for Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, released in the UK on November 23.

A total of 26 complaints were registered with the advertising watchdog, with the majority of the objections being that the ads--particularly the poster--were offensive because they included "shocking images, which condoned violence, especially towards women."

The poster and one magazine ad show the game's two main characters, Kane and Lynch, standing in the background, one talking on a mobile phone and the other holding a rifle. In the foreground, Yoko, the daughter of a yakuza boss, is sitting down, a gag taped across her mouth and mascara-smudged tear stains on her face. Kane is wearing surgical gloves and is pulling the woman's hair.

The second ad was a close-up of the original, not showing the rifle and missing a quotation, and the televisual version showed the two characters in scenes including shooting into a group of hostages, and a man apparently having his throat cut.

Eidos defended its ad campaign by saying that the magazine ads were placed in magazines which were targeted at adults, and that the posters had been taken down and replaced with a different design after it became known that there had been complaints. It said that the TV ad had been shown after the 9 p.m. watershed, and was "cinematic."

The ASA ruled that the image shown in the poster was likely to be seen as condoning and glorifying real violence, and to cause "serious or widespread" offence. It also slammed the "I should regret it, all the pain I've caused" quote from the TV ad, stating that this could also be seen to condone real violence and cruelty.

As a result of the ASA's ruling, the Kane & Lynch TV ad and the image used in the poster and magazine spots have now been banned from being shown again in the UK.

98 Comments

  • planetpib

    Posted Apr 14, 2008 9:37 am PT

    LOL @ knux15! dude ur right on about the violence and sex things. I have lived in the UK and in the US (livin in Texas now). And thats exactually how things are in both those countries.

  • knux15

    Posted Apr 11, 2008 11:38 pm PT

    well, uk has always been a sex haven and the us is the violence haven... man if only we combined... (o wait, damn revolutionary war!)

  • -barker-

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 6:57 pm PT

    the first ad seems pretty offensive towards women, but it shouldn't make a difference, it's still just a f***** game. anyone who can't distinguish a game from the real world is still just a f***** idiot.

  • Fat_Boy_PT

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 10:01 am PT

    Dont these ppl have anything better to do? Seriously? Oh well more free publicity for K&L which is good. Love the game. And i cant wait for the new, free online maps

  • Michael324

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 9:22 am PT

    K&L is worth the fuss.
    And Jeff's career.

  • jackaldc10

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 8:51 am PT

    Bum you hear that gamespot ! bum go on take another point off me

  • WormyTheWorm

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 8:07 am PT

    Kane & Lynch: Deadmen = a good, fun game with a different & good multiplayer.

    This thread = troll city

  • ChuckNorris82

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 7:47 am PT

    I didn't like the game, but the UK takes stuff way over the edge......26 complaints, OMFG!!

  • HolteEnder4Life

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 7:24 am PT

    rubbish ads for a rubbish game

  • jtthegame316

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 7:16 am PT

    good game would of been a awesome game if they got the game machanics right.

  • JohnnyNeat

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 6:46 am PT

    Garbage incompetent game of a cool borrowed concept.
    Eidos shouldn't make a stink because in this case, bad publicity is good publicity for this GARBAGE of a game!

  • UltraViolent9AD

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 6:40 am PT

    Kane & Lynch: Dead Men was good, FTH.

  • UltraViolent9AD

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 6:40 am PT

    Kane & Lynch was good, FTH.

  • Strap_happy

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 4:30 am PT

    Haha stupid American!

  • ljaygrimes

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 3:38 am PT

    Game sucked anyway, this is probably the most attention its ever received..

  • ljaygrimes

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 3:38 am PT

    Game sucked anyway..

  • Cujo31

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 3:07 am PT

    What ever game it is...if its 17+ or 18+.....and is in a magazine catered to adults then what the heck it the problem? People under 17 years old are very capable to watch rated R movies and watch porn all with a click of a button. But people are more worried about game ads in adult magazines that children most likely well get their hands on...OMG! People need to get their priorities in-line.

  • Cujo31

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 3:07 am PT

    What ever game it is...if its 17+ or 18+.....and is in a magazine catered to adults then what the heck it the problem? People under 17 years old are very capable to watch rated R movies and watch porn all with a click of a button. But people are more worries about game ads in adult magazines that children most likely well get their hands on...OMG!

  • MichaelGeorge70

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 2:59 am PT

    kane a lynch blows i am so glad I tried before i brought

  • cadburysgalaxy

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 2:08 am PT

    Emma, how many of the 26 "complaints" were from shareholders or Eidos employees? Names please.

    Hacks like Max Clifford were selling publicity stunts like this a mullion years ago. Your "news" article reads like a Kane & Lynch advert! Gotcha! ^_^

  • cadburysgalaxy

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 2:08 am PT

    Emma, how many of the 26 "complaints" were from shareholders or otherwise work for Eidos? Names please.

    People like Max Clifford were selling publicity stunts like this a mullion years ago. Your "news" article reads like a Kane & Lynch advert!

    Case in point: count the comments saying we're dying to see the "banned" ads now! I wonder how many subconsciously want the game too? Don't do it!!!!

  • Carlito911

    Posted Apr 10, 2008 1:06 am PT

    I don't like this game.

  • jddb

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 11:40 pm PT

    UK do not like gun violence on games it only a game

  • Jedilink109

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 11:10 pm PT

    Gay...why is it that people put MORE meaning into things than what is needed in the first place? That's dumb.

  • Sheegot

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 10:50 pm PT

    I honestly thought the ads were nice looking for once. FOR ONCE

  • REX-BLASTER

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 10:12 pm PT

    UK is yust a game.

  • rob_dAmAgE

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 10:05 pm PT

    i'm not even going to bother to read the other user comments about this topic, because more than likely it will be flooded with jeff cronies still lusting after his deformed ball sack and crap reviews.

    K&L ROCKS!!!!! what's with europe & australia????? why are they so uptight???? is all i gotta say about the article.

    finally, to everyone with good taste:
    see you on fragile alliance's new levels come 4/17!!!!!!

  • KingSigy

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 7:59 pm PT

    We should've banned the ads when the game came out, because the game is just horrible. It would've stopped Eidos from attempting another atrocity of this kind.

  • datbush

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 7:44 pm PT

    i see there are plenty of immature morons who still hate the game cuz the fat man got himself fired. as if its the games fault......

  • HymnsomniaK

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 7:28 pm PT

    *yawn*

  • EnozmeH

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 7:14 pm PT

    This is hilarious! The hype and all talk in general has died down about this game, glad that it took the UK this long to finally realize what to moderate

  • k2theswiss

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 6:30 pm PT

    wow they ban something neeeded baned in the first place for being bad
    good job UK you ban something right for once maby u infuince other countirs to ban bad games not good games like gta

  • alfie1980

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 6:05 pm PT

    wii-g and dawg9000.maybe there is a bit too much censorship in the UK,but, we can drink at 18! homo

  • skyline7284

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 5:58 pm PT

    Its a sucky game anyways.... i believe a former editor here said that too....

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 5:40 pm PT

    I bet GS is happy.

  • Stabby

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 5:05 pm PT

    Dawg9000 - What?

    wii-g - adds get banned in US all the time but I don't care and neither should given that they're adds... not the products. I hate advertising...

  • speed45823

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 4:56 pm PT

    they should just ban the game. It was HORRIBLE anyway.

  • dutch777

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 4:28 pm PT

    typical bloody uk.

  • elitedead

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 3:39 pm PT

    I hope they get there asses sued off =| death to kathryn and lemington!

  • wii-g

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 3:38 pm PT

    Hahahah, homo..anyway glad its not that serious here in america! I dont kno wut i would do if that happens here to any game.

  • plaestic

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 3:22 pm PT

    The ASA should be fired.

  • Dawg9000

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 3:15 pm PT

    Well as long as America doesn't have a homo problem I don't care. lol

  • Delongman

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 3:03 pm PT

    I dnt even know how to react to this...

  • Nooborzor

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 2:41 pm PT

    Heh, no one seemed to care about the huge amount of stupid K&L ads that were on Gamespot! U culd mak ur own trailerzzzz!! VIVA LA JEFF!!!

  • juggleJUGGLER

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 2:28 pm PT

    the Europeans got something against violence whats new

  • lamprey263

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 2:13 pm PT

    Glorify violence?! Are you kidding me?! I'm not saying it doesn't, but there'd be a lot less good TV and films if the same standard of advertising was held to them.

  • lumeiwan

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 2:05 pm PT

    This is one game that i don't seem to care about anymore.

  • leimeisei

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 2:02 pm PT

    not like anyone cares or anything. Kane and Lynch sucks. I wish it wouldve been banned from the US too so i wouldn't have rented it and been exposed to the crappyness of that game

  • robobie

    Posted Apr 9, 2008 1:23 pm PT

    FireboltX you are an idiot, thats from family guy, not south park lol

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