Harmful

All ads should be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society. They must not cause serious or widespread harm or use approaches that are likely to encourage socially irresponsible behaviour.

This includes not causing fear or distress without justifiable reason (and where justified, the fear or distress should not be excessive) and not condoning or encouraging unsafe practice.

We have upheld complaints about harm and social responsibility against a diverse range of ads including:

Alcohol – e.g. not encouraging excessive or unwise styles of drinking
Motoring – e.g. not encouraging motorists to drive irresponsibly such as at high speed or without a seatbelt
Health – e.g. not discouraging essential treatment of serious or prolonged ailments
Body Image – e.g. not encouraging an unhealthy diet or lifestyle including the depiction of extremely thin models

Particularly special care should be taken when ads are addressed to, or depict, children or young people. Ads that fall in to this category should contain nothing that is likely to result in a child’s physical, mental or moral harm and they should not exploit a child’s credulity, loyalty, vulnerability or lack of experience.

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Latest rulings

Poundland Ltd
- Upheld
- Internet (social networking)
- 07 February 2018
A series of posts on Poundland’s Twitter and Facebook page, promoting the #ElfBehavingBad campaign, seen in December 2017:a. An ad, posted on 11 December, featured an image of a toy elf and a bottle of De-Icer placed in front of a car windscreen which featured a drawing of a pair of breasts. The caption stated, “Oh Elf...
Puig (UK) Ltd t/a Paco Rabanne
- Not Upheld
- Television, VOD
- 07 February 2018
Two TV ads and a Video on Demand (VOD) promoted the men's fragrance, Paco Rabanne XS:a. The first TV ad, which was seen in July and August 2017, depicted a man walking into a bathroom. He was seen to have removed his suit jacket and became topless. Two women were then seen peering towards a light source in a dark room....
Thomas Tunnock Ltd
- Upheld
- Poster
- 07 February 2018
A poster for Tunnocks Tea Cakes, seen on 6 November 2017, showed an image of a female tennis player holding a tea cake in place of a tennis ball at the top of her thigh, with her skirt raised at the hip. Text underneath the image of the women stated “Where do you keep yours?” with text underneath the product image stat...
Fernard Ltd t/a banaway.co.uk
- Upheld
- Radio
- 31 January 2018
A radio ad for banaway.co.uk, a claims management company, heard on 11 October 2017, featured dialogue between an authoritative figure and a driver: “The accused was driving recklessly”; “I’m usually a pretty careful driver”; “Turns out he had previous”; “I do a lot of miles. I picked up nine points for speeding. 51 in...

View all rulings

Harmful

All ads should be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society. They must not cause serious or widespread harm or use approaches that are likely to encourage socially irresponsible behaviour.

Latest news

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Latest rulings

Poundland Ltd

Puig (UK) Ltd t/a Paco Rabanne

Thomas Tunnock Ltd

Fernard Ltd t/a banaway.co.uk

Help getting it right

Popular advice

Food: HFSS Overview

Food: HFSS Media Placement

Tackling harmful gender stereotypes in advertising

Relevant codes

04 Harm and offence

31 Other categories of radio advertisements that require central copy clearance

04 Harm and offence