Advertising Standards – ASA Releases 2017 Media Turnover

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) today reported that advertising revenue across all main media was 2.561 billion dollars for the 12 months ended 31 December 2017. The 2016 total was 2.572 billion dollars. The turnover includes data from television, newspapers, interactive media, radio, magazines, outdoor, addressed mail, unaddressed mail, and cinema.

Advertising Standards – 2017 Annual Report Released

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released its 2017 annual report. In 2017 the ASA received 603 formal complaints and responded to 347 enquiries from media companies, advertisers and agencies about advertisements prior to publication or broadcast.  Over half the complaints related to misleading claims in advertisements and just under 20% of complaints were about…

Anzac Day Advertising Guidelines

The Ministry of Culture and Heritage provides guidelines about the use of the word Anzac in advertising. The guidelines prohibit the use of the word Anzac in trade or business unless approval has been given by the minister for arts, culture and heritage and the governor-general.

Advertising Self-Regulation Summit a Success

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) recently held a Summit in Auckland focussing on the value of advertising self-regulation. The ASA celebrates its 45th anniversary this year and took this opportunity to gather over 60 major advertisers, agencies and media organisations together to acknowledge the work of the ASA in supporting responsible advertising.

New Guidance Note on Identification of Advertisements Released

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released its new Guidance Note on Identification of Advertisements The nature of advertising is constantly evolving and recently there have been calls to help consumers identify advertising. The ASA Code of Ethics states that all advertising content controlled directly or indirectly by the advertiser should be identified as such,…

New Decisions: Electricity advertising, website accuracy and more

The following decisions have been published: Complaint 17/371 WHET Drinking Room, Digital Marketing – Facebook: Upheld, in part Complaint 17/439 Flick Electric Co, Television: Not Upheld Complaint 17/440 WHET Drinking Room, Digital Marketing – Facebook: Upheld, in part Complaint 17/441 WHET Drinking Room, Digital Marketing – Facebook: Upheld, in part Complaint 18/003 Fairfax Media, Print:…

Sunbed operators not up to standard

A Consumer NZ mystery shop of sunbed operators has again highlighted poor practices in the industry. Two operators let an underage shopper have a sunbed session, while 6 let a person with fair skin that burns easily use a sunbed.

The Top Brands for tech in 2017

Top Brand reflects the overall product ownership experience. To achieve an award a brand must excel in Consumer NZ product testing and be a high achiever in our customer satisfaction and reliability surveys.

Advertising Standards – New Decisions: Colloquial language, safety practices and more

The Isuzu television advertisement shows a truck being driven over rural terrain with the voice-over saying “This is John Simpson from Mount Hay Station, Tekapo. John’s been driving this D-Max for a while now. It’s been a great truck and it’s got heaps of life left yet. But even so, he’ll be driving into town to the dealer soon and trading it in for a new D-Max, so someone else can have this one. John’s a good bastard! Be like John! Trade up to a new Isuzu D-Max, so someone else can have your old one.” The advertisement ends with the tag-line “Be a Good Bastard.”

Advertising Standards – New Decisions: Parking signs, religious healing events and more

The following decisions have been published: Complaint 17/345 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/348 Zepter International New Zealand, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/378, Brand Developers, Digital Marketing: Not Upheld Complaint 17/392 Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG): Upheld, in part Complaint 17/398 Brand Developers Insurance, Television: Not Upheld…

Prezzy Card replaces expired $2500 card

After 15 years with his employer, Murray Hodson was rewarded with a Prezzy Card loaded with a generous $2700. Murray was chuffed with his gift, until he jumped online to check his balance and discovered the card had expired with nearly $2500 of credit on it.

New Guidance Note on Advertising Health Services

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has developed a Guidance Note for advertising health services. This provides advertisers with information to help them comply with the ASA’s Therapeutic and Health Advertising Code when making claims about their service in their advertisements.

Advertising Self-Regulation Explained

The International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) is a global platform promoting responsible ads through the effective implementation of self-regulatory standards. ICAS has released a short animated video to help explain advertising self-regulation:

Advertising Restricted Products, Child Safety And More

The Complainant was concerned the promotion of restricted products in a mailbox flyer meant children could be exposed to images of the R18 products and it created a level of acceptance of behaviour that could lead to drug use. The Advertiser said they had taken a considered approach to the creation of the advertisement, including noting the products were R18 and the front of the flyer only referred to the locations of the stores, not the products. The Advertiser also drew a comparison with the advertising of alcohol, which is also a legal but restricted product.

2017 Election Advertising Complaints

The lead up to a general election is usually a busy time for the ASA, and 2017 proved no exception. The ASA deals with complaints about all election advertising in non-broadcast media and third-party election advertising in broadcast media. This year the ASA dealt with 11 election advertisement complaints under its fast-track process.  This process requires a response from the advertiser and any other relevant party within 24 hours of notification of the complaint.

New Decisions: Election Advertising, Photography Promotion and More

The Complainant’s view was that the use of the red colour and Labour Party logo was misleading as it implied it was the official position of the Labour Party and gave the impression Labour intends to implement a Capital Gains Tax if elected. The Advertiser said the use of the Labour Party logo and red colour highlighted the contrast in the parties’ policies on tax.