Advertising Standards Bureau Review of Operations 2014 | Page 36

Violence (Section 2.3, AANA
Code of Ethics)
Violence is unacceptable in advertising unless it is
justifiable in the context of the product or service
advertised. The advertising of very few products
or services realistically justifies the depiction
of violence. In 2014 the Board considered
advertisements that portrayed domestic violence,
cruelty to animals, graphic depictions, weaponry,
and imagery that may cause alarm or distress
under Section 2.3 of the Code.
Complaints about violence dropped from
16.1 per cent in 2013 to 12.13 per cent in 2014.

Community awareness
Each year the Board receives numerous
complaints about community awareness
advertisements. These advertisements include
messaging relating to public health or safety. The
Board has consistently stated that a higher level of
graphic imagery is recognised as being justifiable
in public education campaigns because of the
important health and safety messages that they
are intended to convey. Further, compelling detail
and shock may be necessary to be effective in
these types of advertisements.
Anti-smoking campaigns dismissed in 2014
include three advertisements from Quit Victoria
which depict a bronchoscopy being performed
as a voiceover describes the breathing difficulties
smokers can face if they develop lung cancer
(0137/14), a child left alone at a train station
who becomes distressed (0147/14), and one
which features a range of graphic images of
parts of the body affected by cancer and disease
(0247/14). Another anti-smoking campaign
(Cancer Institute of NSW – 0058/14) featured
Terrie, aged 51 years old, who was diagnosed
with throat cancer. Viewers see her daily routine
of getting ready—putting false teeth in, putting
on a wig and inserting her hands free device
into a hole in her throat. In all cases the Board
view was that the explicit images and messages
were not inappropriately violent or upsetting and
that each advertisement handles the important
community awareness issue in a manner which is
not inappropriate for the relevant PG audience.
The Board is consistent in its view of public
health and safety campaigns, where it accepts
that a higher level of violence can be depicted if
justifiable in the context of the important health
message being conveyed to the public. This
view was applied in several cases during 2014,
including an advertisement seeking donations
for brain cancer research (Cure Brain Cancer
Foundation - 0357/14). This advertisement
featured an operating theatre with a young
boy lying on the operating table and during
the advertisement sounds of a drill and other
operating equipment are heard. Another featured
a man in a hospital gown with a shaved head and
large stitches on his skull (Department Premier
and Cabinet NSW – 0456/14), with a tagline

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‘Stop before it gets ugly.’ The Board acknowledged
that some members of the community could find
the image to be graphic but took a view consistent
with previous determinations (0181/10, 0423/11)
that the image was relevant to the important
community awareness message about alcohol
fuelled violence.
Other advertisements included one to raise
awareness of the symptoms of a stroke (National
Stroke Foundation – 0083/14) which featured
images of a woman with a burn hole in her
forehead and large text with the emergency “000”
number and the words “Think F.A.S.T. Act Fast”.
Another which raised a higher level of community
concern was to highlight the importance of
having up to date first aid and resuscitation
knowledge (St John Ambulance WA – 0214/14).
This advertisement depicted a child sinking to the
bottom of the pool with his mother unable to save
him due to a lack of first aid knowledge.

Domestic violence
The issue of domestic violence is a very serious
one and in the Board’s view advertising should
not encourage or condone actions which can be
perceived as unacceptable behaviour. In 2014
concern was raised about an advertisement
featuring a couple deciding on the paint colour for
their house (Hammonds Paints – 0041/14). The
advertisement features two co W