The Guardian apologises over ‘watch porn’ ad placed next to child abuse article

The Guardian placed an ad for Christopher Ward watches that carried the words “Watch porn” next to an article featuring a man convicted of viewing images of child abuse. 

The newspaper called the placement “an oversight” and apologised for “any offence caused." It said the ad was “insensitively juxtaposed” and “inappropriate."

The print ad entitled “Watch porn” was in The Guardian’s Saturday magazine on 27 July. It was published next to an article with the headline "The knock", which shared viewpoints from the wife of a convicted sex offender and her husband. 

Christopher Ward told Campaign its media account has been run by an independent, Bath-based agency Mostly Media for about a decade, but added it does not “attribute any blame towards them for this placement."

The Guardian, meanwhile, also shared a response to the placement of the ad under its corrections and clarifications section. It stated: “In [the] pre-printed Saturday magazine, an article has been insensitively juxtaposed with an advertisement from the watch company Christopher Ward. This placement was an oversight by The Guardian rather than anything intentional by the advertiser.

“We have processes in place to prevent such inappropriate placing but, on this occasion, they were insufficient and will be reviewed. We apologise for any offence caused.”

Mike France, chief executive and co-founder of Christopher Ward, said: “Our ‘Watch porn’ ad, which we’ve been running for a year, is intended as light-hearted humour to promote the desirability of our watch. The issue here is the context, and we apologise that this particular placement may have caused offence.”