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

Itch Petcare Ltd
- Not upheld
- Poster
- 16 October 2019
A billboard ad for flea treatment did not break the rules around harm and offence.
Missguided Ltd
- Upheld
- VOD
- 16 October 2019
A VOD ad was banned for objectifying women and being likely to cause offence.
Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd
- Not Upheld
- E-mail
- 31 July 2019
An email from Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd, received on 24 April 2019, entitled "Gypsies next door, new series features Can't Pay? We'll Take it Away! Agents". Text within the email stated "Find out why DCBL maintain a 100% Traveller Removal success rate, watch the episode on-demand now. Tra...
Not Just Cooling Ltd
- Upheld
- Poster
- 25 September 2019
A poster ad for an air conditioning company broke the rules around objectification, after using the tag-line "Your wife is hot!"

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.

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Latest rulings

Itch Petcare Ltd

Missguided Ltd

Direct Collection Bailiffs Ltd

Not Just Cooling Ltd

Help getting it right

Popular advice

Electronic cigarettes: General

Offence: Sexualisation and objectification

Harm and Offence: Gender Stereotypes

Relevant codes