ASA Bans Anti-Smoking TV Campaign

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned an anti-smoking TV campaign by the Department of Health which showed a man being dragged along by a fish hook stuck in his cheek.

The ad had 774 complaints made against it to the ASA, with the majority of complaints saying that the ads were offensive and distressing, particularly towards children.

The Broadcast Advertising Clearance Centre (BACC) said it had been aware of the TV ads’ potential to distress viewers, particularly younger viewers, when it cleared them.

I added that it had limited the ads’ exposure to children by using an ex-kids timing restriction, meaning they were not allowed to be shown in or around programmes made for or specifically targeted at children.

The ASA ruled that the TV ads were likely to frighten and distress older children as well as very young ones and that the BACC’s ex-kids timing restriction was insufficient and that the ads breached the code.

It also ruled on a series of posters showing images of people with hooks in their faces. It said that although the posters were shocking, “they had the worthwhile purpose of discouraging smoking”.

The press, magazine and internet ads were cleared by the ASA as they were unlikely to be seen by children and were unlikely to cause serious distress or offence to adults.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk