Complaining About Bad Ads

Have you ever flicked through a magazine or flopped down in front of the TV only to come across an advert that made you literally hopping mad? If so then you're not alone. The Advertising Standards Authority, the independent regulatory body that adjudicates on advertising, receives thousands of complaints about bad ads every year.

The good news is that, as influential consumers, parents have the power to stop offensive or inappropriate advertising in its tracks. All you need to do is learn to complain in the right way...

Complaining to the Advertising Standards Authority The Advertising Standards Authority keeps an eye on most forms of advertising in the UK including adverts in print, on TV, or screened in cinemas. However, they can't make decisions about claims made on websites, in-store advertising, or sponsorship on TV.

Though the association has various, fairly complicated codes which govern each type of media - the general rule is that advertisers are not allowed to run ads which are harmful, misleading or offensive to the public. Most common complaints should fit into one of these categories.

Thankfully, the ASA has a heartening success rate. It only takes one successful complaint for the ASA to be able to force advertisers to amend their ads. To learn more about how to complain to the association, see the ASA website.

Using Consumer Power

At the heart of all advertising is market research. In print, Internet and TV ads, nothing is there by chance. Ad agencies will already have researched exactly how their target audience will react to certain elements within their advertising. So, before putting an animal in an advert advertising agencies will already have researched whether the target audience responds (for example) better to dogs or cats.

Because big brands are so sensitive to consumer feedback, just one negative response can do much to change a campaign. A well-written letter, explaining exactly why you consider an advert offensive, can have as much impact as 100 market research questionnaires.

How To Write A Letter Of Complaint

First, make sure your letter is going to the right place. Look up the company involved on the Internet and get the address for the UK head office. You'll often find it under the 'contact us' section of their corporate website.
Leave no room for ambiguity by marking 'complaint' on both the envelope and the letter. Big corporations can often intentionally treat complaints as mere 'comments' to save on their administrative workload.
Don't be tempted to dash off an email. Emails often get deleted before they reach anyone in authority. Companies these days receive fewer letters - and so are likely to treat them more seriously.

Social Networking

If you're really incensed about the way a company advertises, why not use the Internet to get your voice heard? A group set up on a social networking site can quickly gather other parents together for your cause. As more journalist than ever are using social networking sites to generate story ideas, your grievance might even make the news!