Oscar Pistorius, record-setter extraordinaire. Even behind bars there is no limit to what the once beloved athlete can achieve.

OK, that’s all a bit hyperbolic, calm down. Oscar actually had bugger all to do with setting this latest record although he is the central figure. Controversial Irish betting company Paddy Power ran an advert during Pistorius’ trial that got more than a few Brits up in arms, eventually becoming the most complained about ad in British history.

The advert, which first appeared in a British newspaper in March of last year, has received a total of 5 525 official complaints. This forced media watchdog Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) to ban the advert. News24 reports:

[They] banned the advert on the grounds it “brought advertising into disrepute”.

Paddy Power had argued that while irreverent, the advert was not intended to cause offence.

The betting company is no stranger to consumer backlash and have come under fire in years gone by for what many have described as tasteless advertising. Below are two of their more scrutinised adverts, taken from The Telegraph.

I suppose they’re kind of like our Nando’s except they have the balls to take criticism on the chin when the backlash begins (unlike Nando’s HERE).

[sources:news24&telegraph]