ASA Adjudication on Training and Development Agency for Schools

Ad

A TV ad, for teacher recruitment, featured a young looking teacher having banter with a pupil. The voice-over stated "You could earn £34 grand a year. The banter's not bad either."

Issue

Two viewers complained that the ad was misleading because it implied that young, newly qualified teachers could earn £34,000.  They believed that salary was only achievable after several years of service.

BCAP TV Code

Response

The Training and Development Agency for Schools (TDA) said the ad was designed to communicate that there was potential in teaching to progress and earn a competitive salary. They said the ad did not state that the quoted figure was a starting salary for newly qualified teachers (NQTs). TDA pointed out that they had created a separate print ad to promote the starting salary, the headline of which stated "Start on 20K and lead an energetic young team."

TDA acknowledged that the teacher featured in the ad had a youthful appearance. They maintained, however, that they had not intended to imply that he was earning £34,000. They pointed out that the campaign was aimed not just at young people, but at anyone who might want to consider a career in teaching. Nevertheless, TDA pointed out that it was possible for a teacher in their twenties to be earning that level of salary. They said, according to figures produced by the Department for Children, Schools and Families in 2007, a third of teachers after five years in the profession earned more than £35,000.

TDA said the ad encouraged viewers to visit their website www.teach.gov.uk or to call the Teaching Information Line to find out more about the profession and the financial remuneration on offer.

Clearcast said the information sent to them showed that 32% of teachers in London earned 34k or more whilst 45% of teachers in England, excluding London, earned 34k or more. They believed those statistics coupled with the the voice-over that stated 'could earn 34K a year' made clear to viewers that the figure was not the starting salary but an amount that was readily attainable. Clearcast also believed the low number of complaints indicated that viewers had not been misled.

Assessment

Upheld

The ASA understood the salary range for a teacher was £20,000 to £51,000 and that some could potentially earn £34,000 in their late twenties i.e. five years after they qualified.  However, we considered that the claim "You could earn £34 grand a year" in conjunction with the very youthful appearance of the teacher and "Turn your talent to teaching" suggested that £34,000 was the salary for young newly qualified teachers. Because it was not, we concluded that the ad was likely to mislead.

The ad breached CAP (Broadcast) TV Advertising Standards Code rule 5.1 (Misleading advertising).

Action

The ad should not be broadcast again in its current form.

Adjudication of the ASA Council (Broadcast)