Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland release latest Complaints Bulletin
18 advertisements found to be in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Principles, Prices and Alcohol
The Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland’s (ASAI) independent Complaints Committee has released its latest Complaints Bulletin which contains 20 case reports on complaints recently investigated by the ASAI.
18 of the 20 advertisements were found to have been in breach of the ASAI Code on grounds relating to Misleading Advertising, Principles, Prices and Alcohol. The advertisements complained of related to Internet, Social Media, Radio, Leaflet, Direct Email, Press, Brochure and Email. The ASAI Complaints Committee chose not to uphold one consumer complaint and one intra industry / interested party complaint.
The Complaints Committee is a completely independent arm of the ASAI and is responsible for considering and dealing with complaints submitted by the public, by a member of the ASAI, by a Government Department or any other person or body of persons. The Committee is made up of a range of experts from the advertising, media, education, consumer and marketing sectors. See further details here – http://www.asai.ie/about-us/complaints-committee.
Commenting on the latest ASAI rulings, Orla Twomey, Chief Executive of the ASAI, stated:
“As we approach the busy Christmas and New Year period, it’s important that consumers know that the ASAI is committed in their best interests to ensuring that all advertising is legal, decent, honest and truthful.
The latest complaints bulletin from the ASAI highlights the ASAI’s commitment to protecting consumers and holding advertisers to account when their advertising is not compliant with the requirements of the ASAI Code.
The ASAI approach is to work with all advertisers, rather than against them, to ultimately ensure that all marketing communications are legal, truthful, decent and honest. The ASAI provide a free and confidential copy advice service to advertisers, agencies and media members to help them create responsible ads. If an advertiser has any concerns about a marketing communications’ compliance with the ASAI’s Code, they can contact us and avail of the free and confidential copy advice service. This is especially important coming into the hectic promotional period seen at this time of year, an area heavily protected under the ASAI Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing in Ireland.”
Below is a list of complaints which have been found to be in breach of the ASAI Code:
| Company/Organisation | Complaint Category | Further Details |
|
Italia Bauhaus Furniture Limited |
Principals / Misleading (7th Edition) |
The complainant considered the detail of the complaint and expressed concern at the advertisers failure to respond Complaint Upheld |
|
Dublin Tint |
Principals / Misleading (7th Edition) |
The complainant considered the detail of the complaint and expressed concern at the advertisers failure to respond Complaint Upheld |
|
Principals / Misleading (7th Edition) |
The complainant considered the detail of the complaint and expressed concern at the advertisers failure to respond Complaint Upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/telecommunications-58/
|
|
|
Frisby Homes |
Misleading |
The independent complaints committee considered the ad was likely to mislead Complaint Upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/property-houses/
|
|
Eir |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.22, 5.5, 5.15 and 5.16 of the Code
Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/telecommunications-59/
|
|
Eir |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1, 4.4 and 4.6 of the Code
Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/telecommunications-60/
|
|
Paddy Power |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The complainant considered the subject line of the email was misleading Complaint Upheld in part http://www.asai.ie/complaint/leisure-betting-5/
|
|
Minding Frankie (BC Productions) |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1 and 4.4 of the Code Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/leisure-10/
|
|
The Wellness Champions Cork |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1 and 4.4 of the Code Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/health-beauty-9/
|
|
Designer Rebellion |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1, 4.4 and 4.9 of the Code Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/household-furniture/
|
|
12 Quail Farm |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1, 4.4, 4.9, 4.10, 11.1 and 11.5 of the Code Complaint upheld |
|
Totalminddynamics.com |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 3.10, 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code Complaint upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/health-beauty-17/
|
|
Musgrave Group (SuperValu) |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1 and 4.4 of the Code Complaint Upheld |
|
Dublin-Plumbing.ie |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 3.10, 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code Complaint upheld |
|
Munster Roofing |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 3.10, 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code
Complaint upheld |
|
Digital Food Limited Thetaste.ie |
Misleading (7th Edition) |
The independent committee considered the ad to be in breach of sections 4.1, 4.4, 4.9 and 4.10 of the Code Complaint Upheld |
|
University College Dublin UCD |
Prices |
The complainant considered the advertisement had breached section 4.22 of the Code Complaint Upheld |
|
The Benner Hotel |
Alcohol |
The complainant considered the advertisement to be in breach of section 9.4 of the Code Complaint Upheld |
The following complaints were investigated and following investigation, the ASAI Complaints Committee did not uphold the complaints.
| Company/Organisation | Complaint Category | Further Details |
|
Sky Ireland |
Misleading |
Complaint Not upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/telecommunications-broadband-3/
|
The following complaints made by consumers were investigated and following investigation, the ASAI Complaints Committee considered that it was more appropriate to deal with the matter by way of a statement.
|
Virgin Media |
Decency and Propriety |
Complaint Not upheld http://www.asai.ie/complaint/telecommunications-61/
|
The ASAI conducts ongoing monitoring of advertising across all media and since 2007, has examined over 27,000 advertisements, with an overall compliance rate of 98 per cent. The ASAI Monitoring Service monitors compliance with the Complaints Committee’s adjudications.
Media members are reminded that advertisements found to be in breach of the Code cannot be accepted for publication.
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