Advertising Standards Authority is a ridiculous organisation
Discussion
I came across this today - http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/alpine-a110...
So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
On the subject of motoring, I've never understood how they allow those fuel saving devices to be advertised. It's obviously snake oil but somehow they get away with it?
http://www.fuelex.co.uk/
http://www.fuelex.co.uk/
It's not about the number of complaints. Complaints just bring the ASA's attention to it.
It's about the long-established and well-documented acceptable standards.
Three of 'em in this case...
https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/renault-uk-ltd-a17-...
It's about the long-established and well-documented acceptable standards.
Three of 'em in this case...
https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/renault-uk-ltd-a17-...
19.2 said:
Marketing communications must not condone or encourage unsafe or irresponsible driving. If it could be emulated, marketing communications must not depict a driving practice that is likely to condone or encourage a breach of those rules of the Highway Code that are legal requirements if that driving practice seems to take place on a public road or in a public space. Vehicles' capabilities may be demonstrated on a track or circuit if it is obviously not in use as a public highway.
19.3 said:
Marketing communications must not depict speed in a way that might encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly or to break the law.
To avoid the implication of irresponsible driving through excessive speed, care must be taken in the style of presentation of marketing communications. Particular care must be taken in, for example, cinema commercials and in marketing communications that appear in electronic media to avoid moving images that imply excessive speed. If they are shown in normal driving circumstances on public roads, vehicles must be seen not to exceed UK speed limits.
To avoid the implication of irresponsible driving through excessive speed, care must be taken in the style of presentation of marketing communications. Particular care must be taken in, for example, cinema commercials and in marketing communications that appear in electronic media to avoid moving images that imply excessive speed. If they are shown in normal driving circumstances on public roads, vehicles must be seen not to exceed UK speed limits.
19.4 said:
Marketers must not make speed or acceleration the main message of their marketing communications. Marketing communications may give general information about a vehicle's performance, such as acceleration and mid-range statistics, braking power, road-holding and top speed.
It's not terribly hard. Most advertisers manage.Jagmanv12 said:
I came across this today - http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/alpine-a110...
So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
The ASA only normally investigates if one or more of the public complain - feel free to report those washing powder manufacturers to them..So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
TooMany2cvs said:
It's not about the number of complaints. Complaints just bring the ASA's attention to it.
It's about the long-established and well-documented acceptable standards.
Three of 'em in this case...
https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/renault-uk-ltd-a17-...
Fair enough, but in general the main purpose of the ASA is surely supposed to be to ensure that advertising is truthful, not to modify purchasers' behavior?It's about the long-established and well-documented acceptable standards.
Three of 'em in this case...
https://www.asa.org.uk/rulings/renault-uk-ltd-a17-...
19.2 said:
Marketing communications must not condone or encourage unsafe or irresponsible driving. If it could be emulated, marketing communications must not depict a driving practice that is likely to condone or encourage a breach of those rules of the Highway Code that are legal requirements if that driving practice seems to take place on a public road or in a public space. Vehicles' capabilities may be demonstrated on a track or circuit if it is obviously not in use as a public highway.
19.3 said:
Marketing communications must not depict speed in a way that might encourage motorists to drive irresponsibly or to break the law.
To avoid the implication of irresponsible driving through excessive speed, care must be taken in the style of presentation of marketing communications. Particular care must be taken in, for example, cinema commercials and in marketing communications that appear in electronic media to avoid moving images that imply excessive speed. If they are shown in normal driving circumstances on public roads, vehicles must be seen not to exceed UK speed limits.
To avoid the implication of irresponsible driving through excessive speed, care must be taken in the style of presentation of marketing communications. Particular care must be taken in, for example, cinema commercials and in marketing communications that appear in electronic media to avoid moving images that imply excessive speed. If they are shown in normal driving circumstances on public roads, vehicles must be seen not to exceed UK speed limits.
19.4 said:
Marketers must not make speed or acceleration the main message of their marketing communications. Marketing communications may give general information about a vehicle's performance, such as acceleration and mid-range statistics, braking power, road-holding and top speed.
It's not terribly hard. Most advertisers manage.These paragraphs make the latter easy in respect of vehicles which is why the ASA has so successfully helped to make a lot of car advertising bland and all about image rather than reality.
Enforcing truthfulness is harder, as provided vague terms are used, there is nothing to enforce ('better'- better than what?; astonishing whites- meaningless- etc etc.
mac96 said:
Fair enough, but in general the main purpose of the ASA is surely supposed to be to ensure that advertising is truthful, not to modify purchasers' behavior?
https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-lawgov.uk said:
All marketing and advertising must be:
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
TooMany2cvs said:
mac96 said:
Fair enough, but in general the main purpose of the ASA is surely supposed to be to ensure that advertising is truthful, not to modify purchasers' behavior?
https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-lawgov.uk said:
All marketing and advertising must be:
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
TooMany2cvs said:
mac96 said:
Fair enough, but in general the main purpose of the ASA is surely supposed to be to ensure that advertising is truthful, not to modify purchasers' behavior?
https://www.gov.uk/marketing-advertising-lawgov.uk said:
All marketing and advertising must be:
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
an accurate description of the product or service
legal
decent
truthful
honest
socially responsible (not encouraging illegal, unsafe or anti-social behaviour)
Of course I know you are right- my point was not that they are wrong to enforce point six, but that is so much easier than the rest that vehicle makers have ended up quoting nothing useful in ads- usually only fuel consumption figures which to me are of little value without performance stats to compare them against.
From recent ads you would thing that lots of bland SUVs are more fun to drive than (name your performance car of choice)- this is obviously not truthful, but I imagine it is too subjective for the ASA to challenge. In any case, perhaps it's irony!
Jagmanv12 said:
I came across this today - http://cardealermagazine.co.uk/publish/alpine-a110...
So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
Subscribe to the ICO newsletter or go onto their site. You will find that many companies are taken to task for misleading advertising. It has its problems but the new ICO chair seems intent on being proactive and using the law more forcefully. There's one bookmaker who regularly takes the mickey, is admonished and then does it again. I feel certain it is in the crosshairs.So 1 person complains and the ASA goes into action. Just because 1 person doesn't like the inferance that an Alpine is a sporty car.
Why doesn't the ASA do something about the false claims made by detergent/washing powder manufacturers that their products. remove stains when they don't.
IMO the ASA has some sort of vendetta with the motor industry as they seem to ban many car adverts but leave other products alone.
Generally car advertising is sophisticated. We live in a time of high quality motor car ads. Look up Mercedes adverts on YouTube. Here we had a tweet that was criticised, not an advert.
As others have said, there's a prescribed limit. If an advert is brought to their attention, or it is spotted by them, then that is how they are judged. The ASA refused a complaint that had a large number of complainants recently, over 900 if memory serves.
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