Who we are
Established in 1962, the Advertising Standards Authority promotes and enforces the highest standards in all non-broadcast advertisements, and since November 2004 in all broadcast advertisements, by supervising the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. The ASA ensures that everyone who commissions, prepares and publishes advertisements within the UK observes the advertising codes.
The ASA’s original remit covered only non-broadcast advertising, which includes advertisements in magazines and newspapers, posters, leaflets and circulars, personally addressed direct mail, sales promotions, cinema, videos, “paid-for” advertising on the Internet (e.g. banner and “pop-up” advertisements), online sales promotions, commercial e-mails and text messages. The CAP (Non-broadcast) Code and the self-regulatory framework that exists to administer it have been developed to work within and to complement legal controls.
Ofcom outsourced responsibility for the regulation of television and radio advertisements to the ASA in November 2004 to create a "one stop shop" for advertising complaints. This new “one stop shop” for complaints about advertisements is to simplify the process and make it easier for consumers to complain. In 2003 over 1000 people approached the ASA about radio complaints. Yet, the then Radio Authority (now part of Ofcom) received only 247 complaints. So far this year, the ASA has had to turn away over 3,600 people who have tried to complain about TV and radio advertisements. A CAP (Broadcast) Code, similar to the CAP (Non-broadcast) Code, has been developed to regulate broadcast advertisements.
The advertising codes require advertisements to be “legal, decent, honest and truthful”, socially responsible, and prepared in line with the principles of fair competition. The ASA endorses the codes and administer them in the spirit as well as the letter, making it almost impossible for advertisers to find loopholes or ‘get off on a technicality’. This common sense approach takes into account the nature of the product being advertised, the media used, and the audience being targeted.
The costs of ensuring the system remains effective are met by a modest 0.1% surcharge on advertising expenditure, on both non-broadcast and broadcast advertisers. This surcharge is collected by 2 separate bodies, one for non-broadcast and one for broadcast, to ensure that the Authority remains independent and impartial. Importantly, the system involves no expense for taxpayers.
The ASA Council makes the final decision as to whether the codes have been broken. It operates independently of the Government and the advertising industry. It consists of fifteen members appointed by an independent Chairman, currently the Rt Hon Lord Smith of Finsbury. Council members serve a three year term, are chosen for their breadth of experience and do not represent any sector or business. The membership covers both the non-broadcast and the broadcast remit.