Advertising Standards Bureau - Review of Operations 2013 | Page 69

Advertising complaints statistics
In 2013 the ASB received 2,773 complaints, a
decrease from 3,640 in 2012. This is the lowest
amount since 2007 (2,602 complaints). From
these complaints the board considered 409
advertisements with an additional 17 withdrawn
by advertisers before Board consideration. Of
the 409 advertisements considered, 61 of these
advertisements were found to be in breach of
the Code.
In 2013 sex, sexuality and nudity was the most
complained about issue, accounting for 23.2 per
cent of the complaints. This is a change from the
previous year where discrimination and vilification
was the most complained about issue.
Since data was first collected in 2005, vehicle
advertisements were the most complained about
product in 2013, being the subject of 13.9 per cent
of complaints. This is due to a small number of
vehicle advertisements receiving a higher number
of complaints.
Other interesting trends include the drop in the
number of 19 to 29 year olds complaining (from
19 per cent in 2012 to 13.3 per cent in 2013) and
the drop in online submissions (from 93.7 per
cent in 2012 to 89.6 per in 2013).

Review of Operations 2013

Number of advertisements
considered and outcome of
complaints

On receiving advice that there had been a
complaint 17 advertisers removed their ad
prior to consideration by the Board, down from
24 in 2012.

Of the total 2,773 complaints received, 520
complaints were in relation to advertisements
previously considered by the Board. Of the
520 complaints about already considered
advertisements, 212 complaints were related to
advertisements considered by the Board prior
to 2013.

When complaints against advertisements were
upheld by the Board, just over 98 per cent of the
ads were removed from broadcast or publication
or were modified. This is consistent with previous
years. The majority of advertisers complying with
Board decisions demonstrates the advertising
industry’s continuing support and understanding
of its obligations and responsibilities of adherence
to the AANA Code of Ethics and to the system
of advertising self-regulation.

A total of 170 complaints were assessed as raising
issues under the Code of Ethics that the Board
has consistently considered not in breach of
the Codes.
A total of 1,348 complaints were received about
the 409 advertisements considered by the Board.
There were 225 complaints against the
61 ads which were found to breach the Code
with the remaining 348 ads accounting for
1,123 complaints.
Compared to the total number of ads considered
by the Board, the number of ads found to
breach the code equated to an upheld rate of
14.91 per cent.

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