Poster and other out of home

It goes without saying ads on posters and billboards and in other outdoor public spaces, should not mislead, harm or offend. But the targeting and placement of these kinds of ads are also particularly important.

The way in which ads are targeted can have a significant bearing on their acceptability under the ad rules. Targeting is especially important when considering matters of taste and decency because the likelihood of an ad causing offence is inextricably linked to the attitudes of the people who see it.

For example fashion ads featuring semi-nude models may be acceptable in women’s glossy magazines but they wouldn’t be appropriate on posters or billboards in public spaces where they could be viewed by children.

Advertisers should also be mindful that the unsuitable targeting of ads for certain products automatically breaks the ad rules. For example, no medium with more than 25% of its audience under 18 years of age should be used to advertise an alcoholic drink.

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Latest rulings

Tesco Mobile Ltd t/a Tesco Mobile
- Upheld in part
- National newspaper (paid ad), Poster, Social media (paid ad)
- 11 May 2022
We banned ads for replacing expletives with food terms.
Adidas UK Ltd t/a Adidas
- Upheld
- Poster, Social media (own site)
- 11 May 2022
We upheld complaints against ads containing nudity.
Get Hard Ltd
- Upheld
- Poster
- 18 May 2022
An outdoor poster for an online sex store was overtly sexual and because it was displayed in an untargeted medium was likely to cause serious and widespread offence and was irresponsible.
Lamb & Co. Property Ltd
- Upheld
- Poster
- 27 April 2022
An outdoor poster for an estate agents was banned for being likely to cause offence.

View all rulings

Poster and other out of home

It goes without saying ads on posters and billboards and in other outdoor public spaces, should not mislead, harm or offend. But the targeting and placement of these kinds of ads are also particularly important.

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