Booking.com has escaped a ticking off by the UK's advertising watchdog over a TV and cinema campaign.
The Advertising Standards Authority received just short of 2,500 complaints following the launch of an ad spot by the Priceline-owned brand at the end of 2014.
The ad used the word "booking" to mimic the word "f**king" during the ad, triggering what the ASA says is the second most complained about advertising in the regulator's history.
"Look at the booking view!", "This is exactly what you booking needed!", etc, etc.
Those complaining to the ASA claimed the continued use of the word "booking" was offensive.
Booking.com says the ad campaign was to "reinforce brand recognition and association in respect of the word 'booking' as both a company name and website URL".
In its ruling, which cleared Booking.com of the complaints, the ASA says:
"We noted that the word 'booking' was used throughout the ad in a variety of contexts that each lent themselves to substitution with an expletive, and that many viewers would understand the use of 'booking' as word play on the word 'fucking'.
"However, we considered that the voice-over artist enunciated the word clearly and that it was sufficiently distinct so as not to be generally confused with the word 'fucking'.
"We also considered that use of the word 'booking' was not gratuitous or out of context because it was directly relevant to the advertiser's brand name and the URL they were promoting."