Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland release latest Complaints Bulletin
- 13 advertisements found to be in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Brand Ambassadors, Comparison and Principles
26 June 2018 – The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland’s (ASAI) independent Complaints Committee has released its latest Complaints Bulletin which contains 16 case reports on complaints recently investigated by the ASAI.
13 of the 16 advertisements were found to have been in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Brand Ambassadors, Comparison and Principles. The advertisements complained of related to Television, Social Media, Internet, and Press advertising. The ASAI Complaints Committee chose not to uphold one intra industry / interested party complaint.
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 – https://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 illustrates our ability to handle complaints across a large number of mediums. This is the first time a complaint about an influencer / blogger has been adjudicated on by the Complaints Committee. Over the past few years, we have spent considerable time highlighting awareness in relation to advertising best practice within this space to ensure all relevant parties are equipped with the knowledge and resources to correctly identify commercial marketing content across their platforms.
Last year, we also introduced guidance on the ‘Recognisability of Marketing Communications’ aimed at ensuring Irish consumers are not misled by influencer marketing through online advertisements on blogs and social media websites.
The ASAI is committed to protecting consumers in relation to advertising – across all mediums – and our 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 also 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.”
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 / Catherine Quinn
Unique Media
Tel: 01 5225200 / 087 248 7120 (BB)
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
