Key issues
Below is a round-up of some topical issues for advertising and an update on how the different parts of the self-regulatory system are working together to ensure advertising in these sensitive sectors informs, entertains and promotes healthy competition without misleading or harming consumers.
Alcohol
A national debate is underway about the promotion, availability and consumption of alcohol as the negative effects of excessive drinking continue to make headlines.
As some call for tougher controls, all possible contributing factors are under scrutiny – including advertising. Against this backdrop it is perhaps not surprising that the number of complaints to the ASA about alcohol ads went up by 44% in 2008.
The ASA not only acts on complaints, but is also responsible for monitoring ads to ensure alcohol is promoted in a socially responsible way. The ASA's 2008 Alcohol Advertising Compliance Survey, published in July, revealed that 97% of ads were in line with the Codes (up from 95% in the previous year). But there is no room for complacency, which is the ASA routinely engage with all key stakeholders and gauge opinion on the effectiveness of the rules and the way we interpret them.
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Digital media
Digital is an increasingly important advertising channel.
From the internet and e-mail to podcasts and texts, digital is an increasingly important advertising channel. Digital is also reported to be more resilient to the economic downturn than traditional media, with the internet enjoying double-digit growth in ad-spend year on year.
Reflecting this growth, the ASA has seen a significant rise in complaints about digital marketing in recent years. The internet is now the second most complained about medium after TV, with 14% of total complaints. In 2008, the ASA received 3,571 complaints about marketing communications on the internet, an increase of nearly 25% on 2007.
In December, the ASA published the findings of its Digital Media Survey 2008 which revealed that, where the self-regulatory rules apply, there is a 97% compliance rate.
Related advice
- Detailed advice for advertisers: see our Ad advice section
Environment
Advertisers should be aware of growing concerns about environmental issues.
In 2008, consumers, investors and policy makers continued to show concern about environmental issues and advertisers increasingly led on their ‘green’ credentials. However, emerging technologies and differing scientific opinions mean there is a lack of official consensus on definitions and what can be called ‘green’. Set against this, ASA research last year revealed little basic understanding of environmental claims.
It is not surprising, therefore, that complaints about environmental claims increased significantly over the last few years, reaching an all time high in 2007. The ASA launched several initiatives in 2008 to help advertisers and the public understand what claims such as ‘environmentally friendly’, ‘renewable’, ‘carbon neutral’ and ‘sustainable’ mean in the context of an ad. The ASA's 2008 Environmental Claims Survey found that 94% of ads surveyed were compliant with the Codes, demonstrating that the ASA is making real progress in ensuring environmental claims do not mislead.
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Food
In the UK, concerns about rising levels of obesity, particularly among children, have led to a tightening of the rules applied to foods high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS). Since 2007, the new rules have placed significant restrictions on the content of all ads and on the scheduling of TV ads.
Advertisers are clearly mindful of the rules and that is evident in the significant decrease in the number of complaints to the ASA about food and drink ads. Those fell by 15% in 2008, and the proportion of complaints relating to advertising to children remains relatively small.
In December, the ASA published the 2008 Food and Soft Drink Advertising Compliance Survey. The survey assessed 927 ads across all media in a given period and found that 99% were compliant with the tougher regulations.
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Price comparisons
One very noticeable effect of the economic downturn has been to bring value to the fore in advertising. With companies promoting themselves in a fiercely competitive marketplace, price comparisons are playing an increasingly prominent part in the battle for market share and customer loyalty.
All this has led to a steady rise in the number of complaints to the ASA about comparative ads, particularly by supermarkets, other retailers, telecoms and utilities companies. Consumers are confronted with a plethora of claims including the price of baskets of goods, utility tariffs and broadband packages to entice them to switch.
The ASA's priority here is to ensure that ads do not mislead consumers and to help provide a level playing field where companies can make legitimate claims about their products and services.
Related advice
- Detailed advice for advertisers: see our Ad advice section