The new campaign, which started being shown on TV screens and in cinemas in December, follows on from similar adverts earlier in the year.
The ASA has decided to launch a formal investigation after receiving complaints from viewers.
“The general nature of the complaints is that the ad is offensive and unsuitable to be seen by children because they consider the repetition of ‘booking’ suggests a swear word. We will publish our findings in due course,” a spokesperson for the ASA said.
In a statement to TTG, Booking.com acknowledged that it had been contacted by the ASA.
“We will provide the ASA with our full co-operation, including details of all of the appropriate approvals that were secured prior to the advertising airing, including those of the Cinema Advertising Association and BBFC, where it received an age rating,” Booking.com said.
“While we’ve received lots of positive feedback for the campaign from our customers, we’re sorry that it has caused offence for some. This was not our intention at all.”
This isn’t the first time Booking.com has been investigated by the ASA. Four previous rulings have been made, three of which saw complaints about the online booking platform upheld.
