Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) Research

A2 Media Studies
G324 Advanced Portfolio
Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) Research

1. Who are the ASA?
ASA stands for Advertising Standards Authority.

2. What do the ASA do?
They apply advertising codes; these are written by Committees of Advertising Practice. They deal with complaints and take action against misleading, harmful or offensive advertisements. 

3. What is the ASA’s mission?
The mission is ‘In all media is legal, decent, honest and truthful, to the benefit of consumers, business and society.’

4. How is the ASA funded?
It is funded by Advertising Standards Board of Finance (Asbof) and the Broadcast Advertising Standards Board of Finance (Basbof)

5. What are the key principles of advertising codes?
The Advertising Codes contain wide-ranging rules designed to ensure that advertising does not mislead, harm or offend. Ads must also be socially responsible and prepared in line with the principles of fair competition. These broad principles apply regardless of the product being advertised. Key principles of the Advertising Codes include advertising to children, alcohol and gambling, the environment and financial products.

6. With regard to advertising regulation, what is pre-clearance?
Pre-clearance is ‘making sure that the adverts are honest before publication or broadcasting on TV.

7. How many complaints do the ASA need to receive about an advert before deciding to investigate?
One complaint can stop an advert from being shown. Only one complaint is needed for an investigation.

8. What might make adverts controversial? On the list of top 10 adverts causing offence (to be accessed though the BBC link above), do you think the ASA made the right judgments? Comments briefly on the verdict on each case and weather you think it was the right response by the ASA.

• Paddy Power - 1,313 complaints

In the advert it may be seen as offensive to blind people and then may be seen as curtly to animals as a cat is hit by the ball. On the other hand it also may be seen as just light humour but considering the mass number of complaints the decision for the advert to be upheld should have been re considered.

• Marie Stopes - 1,088 complaints   

In this advert it is adverting conception but many people complained it was advertising abortion, the ASA decided to uphold the complaints because it didn’t advertise abortion but conception so I agree with the decision.  

• Department of Energy and Climate Change - 939 complaints

I think the ASA should not have withdrawn this advert because it does not affect viewers and only tell the effect if CO2 in a story tale, on the other hand it may be seen as misleading.

• Maritalaffair.co.uk - 420 complaints

In this advert it could be seen to encourage affair’s between marriages so that’s why it received so many complaints, the ASA decided to up hold the complaints, I don’t agree with this because I think the website is immoral.

•  John Lewis - 316 complaints

In this advert you see a dog left outside in cold snowy and windy conditions people complained that it encouraged families to leave pets in bad conditions the ASA decided to uphold the complaints in which I agree with because the message was about Christmas and on leaving pets outside.

• Oven Pride - 273 complaints

In this advert people complained that it was sexist because I said "so easy even a man can do it". ASA ruled the advert took a light-hearted and comical approach to its portrayal of "traditional" gender stereotypes, and was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence. I agree with the decision because it wasn’t seen to offend anyone. 

• Irn-Bru - 204 complaints

In this advert you can see that a man leads cartoon animals into a butcher and it was seen as ‘it was offensive, irresponsible and distressing to children’. The advert had a restriction that it could not be shown during programs where it is aimed at children, with the restriction the ASA decided not to ban the advert in to which I agree with this because there is no way it could offend children if it’s not during child targeted programs.

• Cardell Media - 185 complaints

Complainants said the mailing was masquerading as personal correspondence and challenged claims being made within it. The adverts were upheld and were told to change their approach I think this was the decision because there was need to ban the advert but to change the approach

• Marmite - 154 complaints

In these two adverts there are two different ‘political party’s’ there is one what is against marmite and then one for marmite. There was 154 complaints because of the political approach and related to racism, denigration and offence. The ASA decided to refer it to Ofcom and not to uphold complicates but the ASA felt the ads were delivered in a light-hearted way and therefore were not in breach of the rules. I agree with the ASA and believe that the advert and wasn’t seen in an offence way and just in a light-hearted way.

• 10.   Durex - 151 complaints

In the advert it is advertising condoms and people complained because they had seen the advert before 11am and in the evening where children may be watching TV and see the adverts. The complaints were upheld because no explicit sexual scenes or images decided its existing scheduling restriction, which prevented it from appearing in or around programmes targeted at children, were appropriate. I agree with the decision for the ASA to change the time because I think that it should not be shown at all during times when children may be watching because it may be inappropriate for them to watch.