Health and safety ( Section 2.6 , AANA Code of Ethics )
Section 2.6 of the Code states :
Advertising or Marketing Communications shall not depict material contrary to Prevailing Community Standards on health and safety .
Section 2.6 of the Code applies to health and safety issues and covers a diverse range of concerns including wearing the correct protective gear , bike and motor vehicle safety , safe practices around animals and depictions of smoking , drinking and gambling and even bullying .
The Board must uphold complaints where an advertisement depicts material that is contrary to prevailing community standards on health and safety under Section 2.6 of the Code . There are no defined community standards under this Section ; it is the Board ’ s role to present its views on what an appropriate community standard is considered to be in relation to a particular issue .
Concerns about health and safety raised 10.46 per cent of complaints in 2015 .
Depiction of drugs , smoking , drinking and gambling
There has been increasing concern reflected in complaints about addictive activities being promoted through advertising ; particularly the promotion of alcohol , gambling , smoking or drugs .
Drugs
Drug use and depictions which suggest drug use are viewed negatively by the Board . The Board considered a number of complaints in this area in 2015 , however dismissed all complaints . The Board ’ s view was :
• Marketing material which appears similar to over-the-counter medication , to draw people ’ s attention to an easy solution to a complex problem , was considered not to be in breach of the Code as adults would clearly be able to identify that it was in fact marketing material , and not medication .
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An advertisement in the form of a mail‐out , presented as a medicine box which included an information sheet about Australian Super and a list of symptoms that the product would alleviate ( Australian Super – 0079 / 15 ).
• The Board considered that the depiction of a hemp leaf in an advertisement for hemp shower products was not drug paraphernalia .
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Online and poster advertisements which depicted a man in the shower , his genitals covered by a soap shaped like a hemp leaf ( The Body Shop – 0214 / 15 and 0217 / 15 ).
• Concerns that advertising which raises awareness about drug use could be a trigger for rehabilitated drug users were seen to be unlikely , when the advertisements include a call to action at the end providing a web address of where to get help .
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Television advertisements designed
Smoking
to raise awareness of the negative consequences of drug use ( Department of Health and Ageing – 0219 / 15 , 0240 / 15 and 0246 / 15 ).
The Board also takes a dim view of glamourised smoking imagery in advertisements . In 2015 the Board upheld three advertisements in this area . The Board ’ s view was :
• Advertising which shows cigarettes or smoking paraphernalia in a positive light will be seen to glamourise smoking and breach Section 2.6 of the Code .
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A campervan advertisement which featured an image of a cigarette packet ( Wicked Campers – 0074 / 15 ).
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A print advertisement which showed a young boy with an unlit pipe in his mouth ( Chemist Warehouse – 0346 / 15 ).
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A television advertisement for e-cigarettes where a voice-over describes the product as providing the ‘ same pleasure of a carton ’ and a carton of cigarettes in plain packaging is shown on screen ( Vaporfresh – 0072 / 15 ).
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The Board also dismissed one complaint in this area . The Board ’ s view was :
• Advertising which showed the negative effects of smoking , which shows images of people or objects smoking , does not depict material contrary to prevailing community standards on smoking .
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A television advertisement that promoted
Alcohol
quitting smoking which included a computer generated image of a brain smoking and information about the dangers of smoking ( Pfizer Australia Pty Ltd – 0138 / 15 ).
All advertisements concerning alcohol are referred to the Alcohol Beverages Advertising Code ( ABAC ) committee and also considered by the Board if Code of Ethics issues are raised .
Concerns raised about situations or suggestions encouraging the excess or unsafe consumption of alcohol are considered by the Board under Section 2.6 . The Board upheld two advertisements under this area in 2015 . The Board ’ s view was :
• Advertising for non-alcohol products can still breach the Code if they are seen to encourage or condone unsafe consumption of alcohol ,
SELF-REGULATE EDUCATING
AUTHORITY POSTERS DETERMINATION
INDEPENDENT
44 Advertising Standards Bureau
STANDARDS ADVERTISERS BILLBOARDS
LIAISING COMPLAINT DETERMINATION CONSOLIDATING
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY EDUCATING SELF-REGULATE
MERGING COMMUNICATING SOCIAL MEDIA
TELEVISION COOPERATING ACCOUNTABILITY
UNITING REPORTS CONSUMERS COMMUNICATING ACCESSIBLE LIAISING or the consumption of alcohol in a situation which would not be considered appropriate under community standards .
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An email promotion for a pouch that could hold food and liquid along with
ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS INTERNET RELIABLE GOVERNMENT suggestions of what the pouch could be used for . One of the included suggestions was to smuggle alcohol ( Sinchies – 0008 / 15 ).
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An email advertisement which included a video showing young men drinking in the street ( Strictly BMX – 0483 / 15 ).
ADVERTISERS RESPONSIVE MEMBERS TELEVISION INITIATIVES ACCOUNTABILITY
POSTERS COMMUNITY DETERMINATION OUTDOOR INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
TRANSPARENCY RADIO COMPLAINT PARTNERING SELF-REGULATE
DETERMINATIONTRANSPORT EDUCATORS TRANSPARENCY COMMUNICATING