Advertising standards authority

The asa

1. Advertising Standards Authority Brandon Simpson

2. The ASA’S MISSION The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s independent advertising regulator. The ASA makes sure ads across UK media stick to the advertising rules (the Advertising Codes ). The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) is the sister organisation of the ASA and is responsible for writing the  Advertising Codes . The ASA and CAP are committed to regulating in a way that is transparent, proportionate, targeted, evidence-based, consistent and accountable.

3. ASA’S Take action and what it does We respond to concerns and complaints from consumers and businesses and take action to ban ads which are misleading, harmful, offensive or irresponsible. As well as responding to complaints  we monitor ads  to check they’re following the rules.  We also  conduct research  to test public opinion and identify where we need to take action to protect consumers.  

4. HOW ASA REGULATES ADVERTISEMENTS Ads in the UK are regulated through a system of ‘self-regulation’ and ‘co-regulation’. In summary, self-regulation means that the work we do is  funded by the advertising industry . Self-regulation means that the ad industry also writes the rules (through CAP) that advertisers have to stick to. Non-broadcast advertising, including newspapers, posters, websites, social media, cinema, emails, leaflets, billboard, is covered by self-regulation. Co-regulation is an arrangement the ASA have with the communications regulator, Ofcom. It has given us responsibility (a contract) on a day-to-day basis to regulate TV and radio advertising. In 2014, Ofcom announced the renewal of its co-regulatory relationship with the ASA for another ten years.

5. Asa’s sanctions they impose The  Advertising Codes  and the ASA’s rulings have universal coverage across the advertising industry. Advertisers cannot opt out of them.  If we have judged an ad has broken the advertising rules, then it must be withdrawn or amended. The vast majority of advertisers stick to the ASA’s rulings and they act quickly to amend or withdraw an ad that breaks the Codes.  We have a range of  sanctions  to act against the small number of advertisers who are either unwilling or unable to work within the rules and to ensure they are brought into line. In 2013 Trading Standards took over from the Office of Fair Trading as the ASA’s ‘legal backstop’ on the non-broadcast side.  On the broadcast side, Ofcom acts as our ‘legal backstop’.

6. Overarching principles The overarching principles of this Code are that advertisements should not mislead or cause serious or widespread offence or harm, especially to children or the vulnerable. Broadcasters are responsible for ensuring that the advertisements they transmit comply with both the spirit and the letter of the Code. All compliance matters (copy clearance, content, scheduling and the like) are the ultimate responsibility of each broadcaster. The ASA may decline to investigate where there is a dispute which, in its view, would be better resolved by another regulator or through the Courts.

7. What the advertisers are responsible for Broadcasters must ensure that all advertisements are cleared before broadcast, are scheduled suitably and in accordance with BCAP's rules on scheduling of advertisements (Section 32: Scheduling). BCAP strongly advises broadcasters to follow relevant Clearcast or Radiocentre scheduling warnings, although compliance with them is not necessarily a guarantee of compliance with the BCAP Code. Broadcasters must ensure that previously approved copy is not re-run for subsequent campaigns without periodic checks to ensure that all claims are still accurate. For radio, copy originally cleared by Radiocentre that is over six months old will need to be re-submitted for consideration by Radiocentre and assigned a new clearance number. Broadcasters or their respective clearance body must independently assess evidence submitted in support of an advertisement and any advice they have commissioned. Substantiation of factual claims made by advertisers and other supporting evidence must be held by the broadcaster or the relevant clearance body.

8. The four basic rules of code 1.1Advertisements must reflect the spirit, not merely the letter, of the Code. 1.2Advertisements must be prepared with a sense of responsibility to the audience and to society. 1.3Advertisements must comply with the law and broadcasters must make that a condition of acceptance. 1.3.1Advertisements must not state or imply that a product can legally be sold if it cannot.

9. Rules that apply to my advertisements

10. Misleading advertising Advertisements must not materially mislead or be likely to do so. Advertisements must not mislead consumers by omitting material information. They must not mislead by hiding material information or presenting it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner. Material information is information that consumers need in context to make informed decisions about whether or how to buy a product or service. Whether the omission or presentation of material information is likely to mislead consumers depends on the context, the medium and, if the medium of the advertisement is constrained by time or space, the measures that the advertiser takes to make that information available to consumers by other means.

11. Harm and offense Advertisements must not be harmful or offensive. Advertisements must take account of generally accepted standards to minimise the risk of causing harm or serious or widespread offence. The context in which an advertisement is likely to be broadcast must be taken into account to avoid unsuitable scheduling (see Section 32: Scheduling ). Means I shouldn’t offend anyone through my advertisements

12. children Children must be protected from advertisements that could cause physical, mental or moral harm . Cant exploit kids in my advertisements

13. privacy Living individuals should be protected from unwarranted infringements of privacy. Broadcasters should respect an individual's right to his or her private and family life, home and correspondence. Advertisements featuring an individual should not imply that that individual endorses a product if he or she does not (see Section 3: Misleading Advertising ). Must not exploit anyone’s privacy in my advertisements

14. Environmental claims Advertisements should take account of Government guidance including the Green Claims Code published by DEFRA and BIS . Should not promote destroying the environment or make any false lemmas

15. scheduling Broadcasters must take special care when scheduling advertisements that might be unsuitable for children or young persons or the audience of religious programmes or for broadcast around sensitive programming or news items. Particular sensitivity is required for advertisements inserted in or around news or current affairs programmes in which a news item, especially one of a tragic nature, could completely transform the context in which an advertisement having an apparent connection with it could be perceived by viewers or listeners. A separation from news references might be inadequate and suspending the advertisement altogether to avoid distress or offence could be preferable.