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Politics and public services

Helpful information on the advertising rules for ads about politics and public services, and examples of previous ads subject to an Advertising Standards Authority ruling.

The majority of our work, around 70%, involves responding to and tackling concerns about misleading advertising. A specific issue in this area involves ads which use trade-marks, trade names or other distinguishing marks of competitors when they don’t have the permission to.

The advertising rules state advertisers must not claim that they, or their products, have been approved, endorsed or authorised by a public or private body if they have not. Furthermore, they can’t imply that their product or service is endorsed, supported or approved by an official or government body unless, of course, it is.

Implied endorsement can be as simple as including official bodies’ logos or names in an ad but can also take the form of more subtle suggestion. The use of trade bodies’ logos and BSI (British Standards Institute) kite marks are strictly controlled by the terms of membership or registration and, without explicit permission; ads should not use such logos or marks.

Legitimate ads for public services must take into consideration the rules for third sector organisations. They must hold evidence for all their claims and be careful not to harm or offend the general public.

Our rules also apply to charities, NHS services, other public-funded services, and government campaigns. We cover political subject matter and websites of political parties but we don't regulate electoral propaganda.

In 1999, the advertising rules were changed to exclude any ad whose principal function was influencing voters in local, regional, national or international elections or referenda. Several factors influenced this decision, including the short, fixed timeframes over which elections run and the absence of consensus between the Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat Parties to bring political advertising wholly within the scope of the rules.

The matter was referred, on separate occasions, to the Neill Committee on Standards in Public Life and the Electoral Commission who both agreed this type of advertising should not fall under our remit. However it was recommended a separate set of rules should be established by political parties in partnership with the advertising industry; however this has still never come to fruition.
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Latest news

  • Objectification in in-game ads

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    • 29 May 2025
  • Disclosure of AI in Advertising: Striking the Balance Between Creativity and Responsibility

    • CAP News
    • 29 May 2025
  • Why the ASA doesn’t regulate political ads

    • ASA blog post
    • 02 May 2024
  • Why we don't regulate political ads

    • ASA News
    • 26 April 2023
  • We think political advertising should be regulated

    • ASA opinion piece
    • 03 June 2020
  • Brexit: CAP and BCAP Code rules

    • CAP News
    • 28 January 2020
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  • Political Advertising

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  • 07 Political advertisements

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Contact us:

The Advertising Standards Authority Ltd. (trading as ASA), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 0733214
 
The Advertising Standards Authority (Broadcast) Ltd. (trading as ASAB), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 5130991
 
The Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd. (CAP), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 8310744
 
The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd. (BCAP), registered in England and Wales, Registered Number 5126412
 
All companies listed are registered at: Castle House, 37-45 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4LS [view on map]

Tel: 020 7492 2222

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