TV ‘ghost girl’ complaints rejected

The TV commercial for the mobile phone retailer was split into two-second clips that appeared between non-related adverts.

The sixth clip was 30 seconds long and followed a woman walking through an underground car park as the little girl appeared and disappeared in the background. The woman looked scared and ran to her car, dropping her shopping. Once she was in the car, the girl appeared at the window and held out a mobile phone to the woman, who screamed.

After a child voice-over had told viewers of a phone deal, an adult female voice-over whispered: “Missing our deals will haunt you.”

Some 525 viewers complained, arguing that the advert was “offensive, irresponsible, unduly distressing and inappropriately scheduled at a time when children might see it”, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said.

But the ASA rejected the complaints and said it would not be taking any action against the advertising agency, Adam & Eve.

Phones 4u said the advert was meant to parody horror films.