Moshi Monsters removed from advertising 'blacklist'

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/oct/29/moshi-monsters-removed-from-advertising-blacklist

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Moshi Monsters has been removed from an advertising “blacklist” after admitting a “communication breakdown” with the UK regulator over a failure to comply with an order to stop pushing kids to get paid subscriptions to the hugely popular children’s website.

Earlier this week the Advertising Standards Authority took the unusual step of launching a “name and shame” campaign against Moshi Monsters after the company failed to abide by a ruling published in August that its marketing practices broke the UK code on social responsibility, as well as direct exhortation and undermining parental authority.

The ASA took the first step of “naming and shaming” the company on the regulator’s website.

Further action within the regulator’s powers can include running an “anti-Moshi Monsters” campaign targeted around the company’s presence in digital media to make consumers aware of it transgressions against the UK advertising code. Or stripping Moshi Monsters’ ability to market in the UK using paid for search ads on sites such as Google.

However parent Mind Candy, founded by Michael Acton Smith in 2004, responded to the ASA’s threat in a “matter of hours”.

A company spokeswoman said it was “very disappointing” that the ASA had moved to place the company on its black list of “non-compliant” advertisers “without even speaking to a member of the Mind Candy team”.

Acton Smith, the company’s chief executive, put the issue down to a “breakdown in communication”.

“At Mind Candy we take our responsibilities very seriously with regards to how we communicate with all of our fans, especially children,” he said. “After the initial findings by the ASA we believed we had resolved any issues raised with regards to the website, however there were further elements that the ASA were unhappy with but a breakdown in communication meant that we were completely unaware of the additional requests. We have now spoken with the ASA and resolved the issues and they have taken down the notice of non-compliance.”