TV Advertising (Task 6)

Task: Answer the following questions using the ASA website.

1. Explain who regulates TV advertising in the UK?

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) are the UK's independent advertising regulator.

2. Explain the process of how to complain about a TV advert which you thought was offensive in some way. 

First and foremost, you must ensure that the advert you want to complain about is within their capacity. This means you'll have to check their list and see if the advert you want to complain about fits in any of them. To see the full list click here. This could include magazine and newspaper adverts.

Once you've ensured the advert is within boundaries, you can then submit your complaint either online, telephone, text-phone, or mail (letter).

They will then provide you with the name of the person that will be handling your case. This person will be your means of contact.

Rest assured, the names of those complaining will be kept confidential from the advertisers.

Depending on how major the mistake is, ASA can either resolve the issue quickly or, most dreadfully, in a long process otherwise known as - investigation. If the mistake is minor, ASA will request of the advertisers to tweak the advert ensuring the removal of that particular offensive content. If not, a formal investigation will take place.

A formal investigation includes a meeting with all those involved - yes, that includes the defendant too. The ASA council will have to rule on the matter. The complainant, advertiser and possibly broadcaster will be recruited for the dark hour (investigation).

The ASA council will then give both the advertiser and broadcaster a chance to prove their innocence by providing evidence of their claims and possibly justifying the offensive content. 

Towards this stage, the ASA council will be in a process of decision. They will lay out everything and consider all facts and decide whether the advert truly breached the Advertising Codes.

On a (Wicked) Wednesday, ASA unveils their rulings to the media.

Let's not forget about the much-deserved punishment. If it was ruled to be a breach of code, the advert is expected to be amended or worse - withdrawn. If none of the options are implemented, the ASA will see to it they do. Go Team ASA!

Celebrating too soon? Worry not, for the ASA team aims to be ethical in their ways. If the complainant or advertiser feels the ruling was misplaced, they can then request a review of a ruling through the Independent Review Procedure. 

3. Watch this controversial advert.

4. Explain what happens in the video.

"Bono, George Clooney, Jessica Alba, Idris Elba and more unite behind ONE's new campaign to help focus the world's attention again on the famine and food crisis in the Horn of Africa." *

* Extracted from the description box of the advert video.

All people mentioned above are shown saying the F word. All throughout the advert, this swear word is being censored. They are spurting information about the rising issue famine. How it's a man-made issue and whatnot. Also, how there is a solution that we can come together as ONE and fight against it. Y'know, that typical call for help when these celebrities have the money to "fight" against it whilst we average people are still struggling with taxes. 

5. Explain why this advert was banned.

Simple. It contained inappropriate language. Despite it being "censored" they actually included that taboo word. It breached the Advertising Codes by including inappropriate content. At first, you think they're swearing. Then then mention Famine - which starts with F. Then it has you thinking, oh so they were saying famine all along (inner thoughts - what dirty mind I must have). But soon enough, one of the celebrities says "are you beeping kidding me?!" 

6. Do you think the regulators were right to ban this advert? Back up your argument with clear points.

Yes, I think they made the right decision. Despite having the actual offensive term censored, it was obvious what it was. This is because once the man said "are you beeping kidding me?!", one's mind automatically replaces that beep with the offensive word. This specific term is used almost everywhere, including movies. Therefore, censoring it was unnecessary. In fact, including it was pointless. 

Using celebrities, whom young people look up to, and having them say that word is wrong. Saying it that easily would allow young people to think that this type of language is okay to use or that it makes you look cool (just like the celebrities).

More to the point, many parents would raise their children with caution in regards of the language they use at home; and all of a sudden, an advert pops up throwing the word in one too many times. 

Also, the cause of the campaign (advert) was a real-life issue, something you would want to seriously convey. Therefore, using that term all throughout made the advert that much more irresponsible. Rather than giving a vibe of seriousness, it gave a vibe of trying too hard to relate to viewers.

7. Summarise your main points. 

The ruling of the advert was spot-on. It breached the Advertising Codes by including inappropriate content, more specifically, inappropriate language (the F word). There are many reasons as to why it may affect people, more importantly young people, negatively. One of which is the idea of casually using this type of dialogue. Besides that, the advert failed at sending their desired message, which is to open eyes to a serious rising issue in Africa - famine. Rather, it made it look comical.