Hair Loss Clinics And Hari Krishna Could Soon Have TV Adverts

Early reports suggest that the public is generally supportive of the ITC’s plans to review its code for advertisers which could see products and services such as hair loss clinics and remedies, pregnancy testing and private detectives advertised on television for the first time.

The ITC announced in May that it was considering deleting 16 items from the 29 on its “banned” list (see ITC Begins Review Of Advertising Rules), while a further 8 could be amended. CIA Medialab’s Sensor survey has asked the public which of the current 29 items they would keep banned regardless of whether they were restricted to certain parts of the day. The full results will appear later this month.

The survey results make it appear likely that television adverts could soon be created for advice on consumer/personal problems, clinics and products for hair loss, pregnancy testing, medicinal services and prescriptive medicines. All these raised objections from less than 11% of those surveyed.

“If the public had its way restrictions imposed on many areas currently would be lifted.” said David Fletcher, strategic planning director at CIA Medianetwork. “Overall, the survey reveals a relaxed public and a broad change in social acceptability for the broadcast of ads for certain products and services,” he continued.

The most controversial rule up for amendment is that relating to escort agencies. 47% of those surveyed would like to keep adverts for these services off television screens. This is almost as many as would like keep tobacco advertising banned (48%) although the rules on this product are not up for review. In keeping with public opinion, other products which will not have their bans reconsidered are pornography (74% of public against a lifting of the ban) and guns and gun clubs (72% against).

Co-op may have recently made a move to ban food advertising aimed at children, but less than a third of the members of the public surveyed by CIA wanted more restrictions on advertising to children. 16% of people objected to the idea of private detectives advertising on television.

Older people were found to be more likely to find religious advertising acceptable but tended to want more restrictions on alcohol advertising than the under-25s.

CIA Medialab: 020 7803 2000 ITC: 020 7255 3000