Banned Adverts

ASA

Each year, the UK public sees many millions of ads, direct marketing and digital communications about products, services, charities, causes and awareness campaigns. The vast majority are responsible and comply with the advertising rules.  

Last year the ASA received nearly 29,000 complaints. They thoroughly assessed every one of those concerns and investigated the ads that seemed to breach the rules. As a result, nearly 2,400 ads were changed or withdrawn in 2009.
For our own benefit it was important we looked at what is acceptable and what isn’t, just in case our ideas about our Coffee advert breached any of the rules.

*(Taken from the, Times Online) by Patrick Foster Media Correspondent

An advertisement by children’s charity Barnardo’s that featured a girl being repeatedly slapped across the head was the most complained about marketing message of the year, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has revealed.

The advertising watchdog said in its annual report that it had received 26,433 complaints in 2008, the highest amount ever, about 15,556 adverts, also a record number.

However, not one of the ten most complained about adverts, which included missives from Volkswagen, the Department of Health, and Heinz, was banned by the ASA.

The Barnardo’s campaign, which generated 840 complaints, showed scenes of a girl taking drugs and being slapped around the head, which were repeated a number of times, emphasising the sound of the slap.

The ASA said: “Many people found the repeated scenes of violence and drug-taking upsetting and challenged whether the ads caused serious or widespread offence.

“We did not doubt that the distress or offence described by many of the complainants was deeply felt. However, we considered the ads were scheduled appropriately and their aim justified the use of strong imagery.”

The second most complained about advert, with 743 protests, was a Volkswagen advert featuring a singing dog. Viewers complained the adverts condoned animal cruelty, but the ASA refused to investigate.

In third place was an advert for Orangina, the soft drink, which showed animals dancing provocatively. The advert generated 286 complaints but was also not investigated.

The ASA also announced today that it had banned an advert for the car insurer Swiftcover, fronted by Iggy Pop, the musician, after it emerged that the insurance company did not offer insurance to musicians. Swiftcover has since announced that it is changing its policy.

Top Ten most complained about adverts

1) Barnardo's - Raising awareness against child abuse

2) Volkswagen Group - Singing dog/shaking dog

3) AG Barr/Orangina - Dancing animals

4) HJ Heinz/Deli Mayo - Sandwich-making kissing men

5) Department of Health - Anti-smoking campaign

6) Tiscali - Sleeping with the next door neighbour

7) Entertainment Film Distributors - Zack and Miri make a porno

8) Walker Snack Foods - Gary Linekar/damaged bus

9) Specsavers Optical Group - Edith Piaf "Je ne regrette de rien"

10) Cargiant - Man takes mistress to Paris

From this research we have learnt a lot of things and it has brought to our attention how careful you have to be, so you do not cause any offence or show something too explicit. It is important for us to keep our audience as a whole in mind when planning our advert.