The ASA has chosen not to investigate a recent Red Bull ad which purportedly makes light of the sinking of the Titanic, despite the ad receiving nearly 150 complaints. The television ad in question sees a crate of the energy drink being lifted onto an unspecified ocean liner. The captain questions the need for the
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Love It Or Hate It: Using Animals in Advertising
By Huw Morris on
Controversy arose again this week over the use of animals in advertising. The British public is famously protective of its furry friends, and the ASA often receives large numbers of complaints over the depiction of animals in ads, especially where there is any suggestion of possible mistreatment. One of the most complained about ads of…
Amazon Seller Swears No Breach Of The Code…ASA Disagrees
By Nick Breen on
The ASA has upheld a complaint concerning a Christmas card which was offered for sale through the Amazon market place by the seller named smellyourmum.com. The front of the card contained wording incorporating a strong expletive which, although partly obscured using an asterisk, the ASA considered was likely to cause serious and widespread offence in…
ASA Supports The Mother Of All Christmas Ads
By Shaunee James on
During the 2012 Christmas season, ASDA and Morrisons ran ads depicting mothers running errands, bustling around kitchens, preparing food, wrapping presents and attending Christmas plays. Complaints were made to the ASA on the basis that they were offensive and sexist because they reinforced outdated stereotypes of men and women in the home.
Morrisons responded to…
Saucy Ice Cream Ads Once Again Frozen by the ASA
By Huw Morris on
In the same week that the Pope visited the UK, the ASA banned an ad it deemed could be offensive to some Roman Catholics. The ad, for Antonio Federici ice-cream, which ran in Grazia and The Lady magazines earlier this year, featured an obviously pregnant nun eating Antonio Federici ice-cream alongside the words “Immaculately conceived”.…