Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland release latest Complaints Bulletin
17 advertisements found to be in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Principles, Taste and Decency, Safety and Promotions
21 September 2017 – The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland’s (ASAI) independent Complaints Committee has released its latest Complaints Bulletin which contains 20 case reports on complaints recently investigated by the ASAI.
17 of the 20 advertisements were found to have been in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Principles, Taste and Decency, Safety and Promotions. The advertisements complained of related to poster, website, social media, internet, cinema, TV, press, radio, leaflet and brochure advertising. The ASAI Complaints Committee chose not to uphold one consumer complaint and one intra industry / interested party complaint.
Two of the upheld advertisements complained about related to complaints from intra industry / interested parties. The ASAI has also issued a statement on one case and has advised advertisers to take note of their concerns in any future advertising campaign.
The Complaints Committee is a completely independent arm of the ASAI and is responsible for considering and dealing with complaints submitted by the public, by a member of the ASAI, by a Government Department or any other person or body of persons. The Committee is made up of a range of experts from the advertising, media, education, consumer and marketing sectors. See further details here – http://www.asai.ie/about-us/complaints-committee.
Commenting on the latest ASAI rulings, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI, stated:
“The latest complaints bulletin from the ASAI highlights the ASAI’s commitment to protecting consumers and holding advertisers to account when their advertising is not compliant with the requirements of the ASAI Code. The ASAI approach is to work with all advertisers, rather than against them, to ultimately ensure that all marketing communications are legal, truthful, decent and honest. The ASAI provide a free and confidential copy advice service to advertisers, agencies and media members to help them create responsible ads. If an advertiser has any concerns about a marketing communications’ compliance with the ASAI’s Code, they can contact us and avail of the free and confidential copy advice service.
Sectors tend to fluctuate as marketing trends develop, and this includes the Telecommunications sector. The ASAI has noted the complaints within the Telecommunications Sector in particular and is continuing to work with and actively engage with advertisers within the area, to ensure that all future advertising is legal, decent, honest and truthful.”
A list of complaints which have been found to be in breach of the ASAI Code are available here.
The ASAI conducts ongoing monitoring of advertising across all media and since 2007, has examined over 27,000 advertisements, with an overall compliance rate of 98 per cent. The ASAI Monitoring Service monitors compliance with the Complaints Committee’s adjudications.
Media members are reminded that advertisements found to be in breach of the Code cannot be accepted for publication.
Or follow the ASAI on Twitter @THE_ASAI
For further information, please contact:
Breda Brown / Niall McHugh
Unique Media
Tel: 01 5225200 / 085 733 1896 (NM)
Editorial Notes:
The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland is financed by the advertising industry and committed, in the public interest, to promoting the highest standards of marketing communications that is advertising, promotional marketing and direct marketing. The objective is to ensure that all commercial marketing communications are ‘legal, decent, honest and truthful’.
Members of the ASAI are required to abide by the Code and not to publish an advertisement or conduct a promotion which contravenes Code rules. The Code covers commercial marketing communications and sales promotions in all media in Ireland including digital (online banners, websites and social platforms), print, outdoor, radio, TV, leaflets/brochures, and direct marketing.
Further information on advertising self-regulation, the ASAI and the operation
of the system is available at www.asai.ie
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