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

Bestway Retail Ltd t/a Bargain Booze
- Upheld
- Social media (paid ad)
- 06 May 2026
A paid-for Facebook ad for an alcohol retailer irresponsibly implied that alcohol could overcome loneliness.
Activision Blizzard UK Ltd t/a Call of Duty
- Upheld in part
- Social media (paid ad), Video on demand
- 18 February 2026
A Video on Demand and YouTube ad for Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 was socially irresponsible and likely to cause serious offence by trivialising sexual violence. Another issue was investigated but it didn’t break the rules.
FlyDogGame t/a Love and Peace
- Upheld
- App (paid ad)
- 18 February 2026
A paid-for ad for a mobile game app was socially irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence, including by trivialising and condoning violence, including domestic violence.
Pocket FM Private Ltd
- Upheld
- App (paid ad)
- 18 February 2026
A paid-for in-app ad for an audiobook app was socially irresponsible and likely to cause serious or widespread offence, including by referencing sexual assault and sexual violence.

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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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