Show us how well you know the CAP/BCAP Codes...
Show us how well you know the CAP/BCAP Codes...
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. Advertisers and marketing professionals must abide by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) rules. Every week the ASA publish the results of their investigations into complaints so people can fully understand how the advertising rules apply and where the line is drawn in judging whether an ad has broken the rules. Show us how well you know the CAP/BCAP Codes by taking our online quiz.
The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. Advertisers and marketing professionals must abide by the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) rules. Every week the ASA publish the results of their investigations into complaints so people can fully understand how the advertising rules apply and where the line is drawn in judging whether an ad has broken the rules. Show us how well you know the CAP/BCAP Codes by taking our online quiz.
A paid-for post shown on Erics Angling Centre’s Facebook page featured an image of a woman with her mouth open and wiping the bottom of her lip with a napkin and featured the text, “… Prices that are easy to swallow”.
The Issues: 1. The complainant challenged whether the ad was offensive and irresponsible because it depicted a model that looked underage in a sexualised manner.
2. The complainant also challenged whether the ad was irresponsibly shown in an untargeted medium where children could see it.
A post on the Facebook page for Complete PT Solutions, a personal training service company, in brief, stated “ [warning emoji] Last entry will be 7pm tonight we will then choose the winner, live, at 8pm! [warning emoji]. [exclamation mark emoji] DON’T MISS OUT [exclamation mark emoji]. WIN a Fitbit Charge 2 [muscle emoji]. [warning emoji] Winner will be announced LIVE next Friday! [red light emoji].
The issue: The complainant, who had been informed that they had won the promotion but had not received the prize, challenged whether the promotion had breached the Code.
An email from Selfridges, seen in January 2017, showed a model standing side on in a long blue dress.
The Issue: The complainant, who believed the model looked unhealthily thin, challenged whether the ad was socially irresponsible.
An ad for BOCA organic toothpastes was seen in the Raconteur supplement of the Times newspaper. The ad featured a black and white image of the body of a naked woman, who was wearing only a pair of strappy heels. The woman in the image was shown reclining in a chair and facing a window, with one leg placed on top of a table by the window and the other on the ground. Her buttocks and her groin area were obscured by the arm of the chair. The woman was also shown to be holding a tube of the product.
The Issue: Two complainants, who believed that the ad objectified women, challenged whether the ad was offensive.
A TV ad for BT, seen on 11 May 2017, advertised broadband packages. The voice-over stated, "The welcome discount on BT Unlimited Broadband has just got bigger. We'll now give you a discount of over 30%". Large text across the screen stated "BIGGER DISCOUNT" followed by "NOW OVER 30% DISCOUNT". Small text at the bottom of the screen stated "Prices may change. New customers. 12 mth term. £40.99/mth from mth 13. Welcome discount was 27% now 34% vs existing unlimited customer price £40.99/mth. Pay D.D. Subject to availability. Terms apply."
The issue: The complainant, who found the small on-screen text difficult to read but believed it included important information about the offer being advertised, challenged whether the text was sufficiently legible and whether the qualifications were presented clearly.
A promotional email from Wowcher advertising a refurbished computer, stated “Dell Optiplex 755 Core 2 Duo with 160GB HDD & 22” Monitor NOW £179…Save 82%...Was £1000”.
The issue: Two complainants challenged whether the savings claim was misleading and could be substantiated.
Ads for Goodwin Smith Shoes including:
a. An email included the claim “Fancy a pair?” and was accompanied by an image of three women wearing just knickers, with one woman’s breasts exposed, the second covering her chest with her arm with her nipple exposed and the third posed in front of the others holding a pair of shoes over her chest. Above the image was the company tag line “Bucking good shoes”.
b. The company’s own website included the claim “Fancy a pair?” and was accompanied by an image of two women who were topless, wearing only knickers and covering their breasts with shoes.
c. A Facebook post seen on their own page included the text “Watch the explicit campaign video on Youtube now” accompanied by an image of three woman wearing just knickers, two women covered their breasts with shoes and the third covered her breasts with her arm.
The issue: Nine complainants challenged whether the ads were offensive because they were sexist, objectifying women, and degrading to women.
A website for Drones Direct, with “DJI Goggles FPV Headset”, featured text that stated “Only £499.00 Save 12%”.
The issue: The complainant, who believed the price quoted was the recommended retail price, challenged whether the savings claim was misleading and could be substantiated.
Ads for Expedia promoted discounted hotel and holiday deals for Expedia members.
a. An email, sent to the Expedia members mailing list, stated “BY INVITE ONLY: SPECIAL MEMBER PRICING You’re Eligible for 50% off”. A “Terms and conditions” link led to text on a separate web page which stated that “These offers are available to logged in Expedia account holders, newsletter subscribers and via the Expedia app”.
b. Ad (a) linked to a landing page on the Expedia website which listed the hotel or holiday offers. At the top of the page, text highlighted in yellow stated “Members get an extra 10% or more off select hotels. Look for Member Pricing below”. Members’ prices were highlighted in yellow.
The issue: The complainant, challenged whether the claims that discounts were available to members only were misleading.
Promotional marketing from pizza chain Prezzo, offered unlimited prosecco with a meal.
a. One email was headlined “Prosecco Pay Day has arrived ...”. It featured a photo of three people smiling and clinking glasses. Text stated “#PROSECCOPAYDAY IS BACK. BOTTOMLESS PROSECCO FOR £15pp … It's Pay Day, Bottomless Prosecco is back! … Grab your friends, partners & colleagues, head to Prezzo & party with bottomless Prosecco for only £15pp … T&C’s apply”. The terms and conditions, which appeared on a separate web page, stated “Your code entitles you to free flowing Prosecco for 2 hours for £15 per person. Each person must purchase a main dish … Prosecco will be served by the glass and will continue to be topped up when you finish each glass. We reserve the right to refuse alcohol beverage service to anyone who appears intoxicated".
The issue: The complainant challenged whether the ad was irresponsible and encouraged excessive drinking.
An email for Eithad Airways offering an upgraded seat after a flight was purchased with Etihad. It included text which stated “Upgrade to experience our business studio”. An image included in the ad showed a cabin that featured a horizontal and dressed bed with a bedside table and other storage space.
The issue: The complainant, who had purchased an upgrade on the understanding they would receive a seat which resembled the one represented in the ad, but believed they had received an inferior seat, challenged whether the ad was misleading and exaggerated the performance of the product.
An email for PETA with the subject line “Help Protect Dogs from Slaughter”. In the body copy it said “Five times - that’s how many times an abattoir worker struck a small dog with a heavy club before the terrified pup collapsed next to a pile of dead dogs, each of whom had been bludgeoned”. Beneath the text was an animated GIF loop of the animal mentioned in the text; the animal was hit by a factory worker and collapsed on the floor. As described in the body copy, the scene also showed a large pile of dead animals, pools of blood and other material on the floor. The GIF played automatically when the email was opened.
The issue: The complainant, who said they received no warning about the content in the email before they read it and saw the imagery, challenged whether the ad was likely to cause unjustified fear and distress and was offensive.