Offensive

Although they only account for a small part of the ASA’s work, complaints about taste and decency are often the most high profile.

Upheld decisions can result in widespread adverse publicity for the company concerned and marketers can be required to have posters pre-vetted by CAP’s Copy Advice team for two years if they publish an offensive poster.

The rules state ads must not contain anything that is likely to cause serious or widespread offence, and specifies that special care must be taken to avoid causing offence on the grounds of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability and age.

When making a decision on whether an ad is likely to cause widespread offence, we take into account: the audience who are likely to see the ad; the context in which the ad appears; the product it’s promoting; and prevailing standards in society. To help judge those standards, from time-to-time, we commission major consumer research to find out what concerns people and where they think the line should be drawn.

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Latest rulings

BrewDog plc
- Upheld in part
- National newspaper (paid ad)
- 18 November 2020
Poster and press ads for BrewDog beer broke the rules on offence by using a reference to an expletive in media targeted to a general audience. The same ad appearing in targeted magazines did not break the rules.
Lingscars.com Ltd
- Upheld
- 23 September 2020
A Facebook post advertising a car leasing company was banned for being socially irresponsible and likely to cause serious offence on the grounds of race.
Prettylittlething.com Ltd t/a Prettylittlething.com
- Upheld
- Internet (video)
- 05 February 2020
An ad on YouTube for a clothing retailer was banned for objectifying women.
Hey Habito Ltd
- Not upheld
- Magazine
- 29 January 2020
A print ad for a mortgage broker did not break the rules around harm and offence.

View all rulings

Offensive

Although they only account for a small part of the ASA’s work, complaints about taste and decency are often the most high profile.

Latest news

Tackling racial and ethnic stereotyping in ads - the role the ASA is playing

Making responsible ads like clockwork – marketing on TikTok

Harm and Offence: Crossing the line – 2020 style

A Christmas Tale… of compliant advertising

Latest rulings

BrewDog plc

Lingscars.com Ltd

Prettylittlething.com Ltd t/a Prettylittlething.com

Hey Habito Ltd

Help getting it right

Popular advice

Harm and Offence: Gender Stereotypes

Offence: Sexualisation and objectification

Offence: Race

Relevant codes