Advertising Standards Bureau Review of Operations 2015 | Page 75

Advertising complaints statistics
In 2015 the ASB received
4,430 complaints, the second
highest number of complaints
in the past 10 years, although
many less than the record
number of complaints received
in 2014 (5,735).

From the 4,430 complaints the Board considered
471 advertisements, with an additional
30 withdrawn by advertisers before Board
consideration. Of the advertisements considered,
80 advertisements were found to be in breach of
the Code.
Although complaint numbers were at a higher
level than in other years except 2014, the actual
number of advertisements complained about was
not higher than the average. The total number
of advertisements complained about (512) was
slightly lower than the 566 complained about
in 2014, but was equivalent with the average
of advertisements complained about over the
previous 10 years (2005-2014). The highest
number of advertisements complained about was
in 2009 when the ASB received complaints about
595 separate advertisements.

RADIO
EDUCATING
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT
DETERMINATION
TRANSPORT
BONDING
SELF-REGULATE
INDEPENDENT
BILLBOARDS
PARTNERING
TRANSPORT
AUTHORITY POSTERS
STANDARDS ADVERTISERS BILLBOARDS
TELEVISION COOPERATING ACCOUNTABILITY
MERGING COMMUNICATING SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY EDUCATING SELF-REGULATE
LIAISING COMPLAINT DETERMINATION CONSOLIDATING
TRANSPARENCY RADIO COMPLAINT PARTNERING SELF-REGULATE
POSTERS COMMUNITY DETERMINATION OUTDOOR INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
ADVERTISERS RESPONSIVE MEMBERS TELEVISION INITIATIVES ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS INTERNET RELIABLE GOVERNMENT
UNITING REPORTS CONSUMERS COMMUNICATING ACCESSIBLE LIAISING
DETERMINATION TRANSPORT EDUCATORS TRANSPARENCY COMMUNICATING

In 2015 sex, sexuality and nudity was the
most complained about issue accounting for
27.32 per cent of complaints. Complaints about
the issue of discrimination and vilification
dropped significantly from 27.61 per cent of
complaints 2014 to just 15.76 per cent in 2015.
Language came in third highest at 14.01 per cent.
Toiletries, which includes products such as razors,
deodorant, sanitary pads, tampons, condoms and
hair dye, were back as the most complained about
product category in 2015, accounting for 14.62
per cent of all complaints. Vehicles were a close
second at 14.26 per cent, but this was due to one
advertisement which received a higher number of
complaints about the language used in it.

The percentage of complaints received from most
States and Territories remained consistent with
previous years, with complaints from Queensland
(19.12 per cent) lifting back to previous levels of
around 20 per cent from a low of 14.58 per cent
in 2014.

Review of Operations 2015

Number of advertisements
considered and outcome
of complaints
Of the total 4,430 complaints received, 1,048
complaints were in relation to advertisements
previously considered by the Board. Of the
1,048 complaints about already considered
advertisements, 447 complaints were related to
83 advertisements considered by the Board prior
to 2015.
A total of 194 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 2,154 complaints were received about
the 471 advertisements considered by the Board.
There were 351 complaints against the
80 advertisements which were found to breach the
Code with the remaining 391 ads accounting for
1800 complaints.
Compared to the total number of advertisements
considered by the Board, the number of
advertisements found to breach the code equated
to an upheld rate of 16.99 per cent.
On receiving advice that there had been a
complaint 30 advertisers removed their ad prior
to consideration by the Board, consistent with the
number withdrawn in 2014.
When complaints against advertisements
were upheld by the Board, the vast majority
of advertisers removed or modified their
advertisement from broadcast or publication.
Only three advertisers were non-compliant. 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 other Codes
and Initiatives and to the system of advertising
self‑regulation.

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