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| Go Compare tops list of most complained about ads of 2012 | Go Compare tops list of most complained about ads of 2012 |
| (5 months later) | |
| Go Compare's TV ads featuring an irritating opera singer resulted in the most complained about ad campaign of 2012, with almost 2,000, single-handedly fuelling a near doubling of complaints about UK financial advertising. | Go Compare's TV ads featuring an irritating opera singer resulted in the most complained about ad campaign of 2012, with almost 2,000, single-handedly fuelling a near doubling of complaints about UK financial advertising. |
| Some 31,298 complaints were made about 18,990 ads last year, slightly down on 2011, according to the latest Advertising Standards Authority annual report. Complaints about financial services advertising, however, ballooned by 86%. | Some 31,298 complaints were made about 18,990 ads last year, slightly down on 2011, according to the latest Advertising Standards Authority annual report. Complaints about financial services advertising, however, ballooned by 86%. |
| In 2012 the rise in grievances against financial services ads in general – from 2,279 to 4,239 year on year – was almost entirely attributable to the price comparison website's annoying tenor Gio Compario. | In 2012 the rise in grievances against financial services ads in general – from 2,279 to 4,239 year on year – was almost entirely attributable to the price comparison website's annoying tenor Gio Compario. |
| Gocompare.com took the first two spots in the ASA's top 10 most complained about ads of 2012 list, notching up 1,805 complaints. | Gocompare.com took the first two spots in the ASA's top 10 most complained about ads of 2012 list, notching up 1,805 complaints. |
| Viewers took particular exception to an ad featuring former England player Stuart Pearce kicking a football into the opera singer's stomach. A second ad featuring Sue Barker in a balaclava shooting the irritating tenor with a bazooka also provoked complaints that it was offensive and inappropriately trivialised war and terrorism. | Viewers took particular exception to an ad featuring former England player Stuart Pearce kicking a football into the opera singer's stomach. A second ad featuring Sue Barker in a balaclava shooting the irritating tenor with a bazooka also provoked complaints that it was offensive and inappropriately trivialised war and terrorism. |
| Despite the huge number of complaints about the Go Compare campaign – third on the list, with 373, was Channel 4's controversial "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier" poster ad for Big Fat Gypsy Weddings – the ASA ruled that neither commercial broke the UK advertising code. | Despite the huge number of complaints about the Go Compare campaign – third on the list, with 373, was Channel 4's controversial "Bigger. Fatter. Gypsier" poster ad for Big Fat Gypsy Weddings – the ASA ruled that neither commercial broke the UK advertising code. |
| Go Compare supplanted Phones 4u, which had the dubious honour of fielding the most complained about ad (with 659) in the ASA's 2011 list of shame. | Go Compare supplanted Phones 4u, which had the dubious honour of fielding the most complained about ad (with 659) in the ASA's 2011 list of shame. |
| The ASA has also been cracking down on the way so-called "pay day" loan companies, such as Wonga.com, market their deals. | The ASA has also been cracking down on the way so-called "pay day" loan companies, such as Wonga.com, market their deals. |
| "We've required pay day loan companies to be clear about what it is they are providing and what it costs," said Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the ASA. | "We've required pay day loan companies to be clear about what it is they are providing and what it costs," said Lord Smith of Finsbury, chairman of the ASA. |
| Although TV remained the most complained about advertising medium, with complaints up 6% year on year to 11,245, 2012 was very much the year that the ASA and marketers got to grips with digital advertising. | Although TV remained the most complained about advertising medium, with complaints up 6% year on year to 11,245, 2012 was very much the year that the ASA and marketers got to grips with digital advertising. |
| Just two years after the watchdog's online advertising remit was extended to include marketing on companies' own websites and in social media, it has swiftly cemented its place as the second most complained about ad medium. | Just two years after the watchdog's online advertising remit was extended to include marketing on companies' own websites and in social media, it has swiftly cemented its place as the second most complained about ad medium. |
| Last year digital advertising prompted 9,754 complaints, almost a third of the watchdog's entire workload, but despite this rapid growth curve the number of complaints actually dropped by 4% year on year. | Last year digital advertising prompted 9,754 complaints, almost a third of the watchdog's entire workload, but despite this rapid growth curve the number of complaints actually dropped by 4% year on year. |
| The ASA said that the main issue with online advertising is consumers feeling they are being misled – the subject of 90% of all complaints about digital. | The ASA said that the main issue with online advertising is consumers feeling they are being misled – the subject of 90% of all complaints about digital. |
| In its annual report the ASA also laid down the law on how companies can use Twitter to advertise, with Nike the first UK company to have a campaign banned from the social media service. | In its annual report the ASA also laid down the law on how companies can use Twitter to advertise, with Nike the first UK company to have a campaign banned from the social media service. |
| Nike fell foul of the ASA rules for not clearly telling the public that tweets from the personal Twitter accounts of Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere were in fact ads. | Nike fell foul of the ASA rules for not clearly telling the public that tweets from the personal Twitter accounts of Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere were in fact ads. |
| Others who failed to abide by the ASA's Twitter rules include The Only Way is Essex actor Gemma Collins, who promoted hair salon chain Toni & Guy, | Others who failed to abide by the ASA's Twitter rules include The Only Way is Essex actor Gemma Collins, who promoted hair salon chain Toni & Guy, |
| "The use of celebrities to endorse products or services through their own Twitter accounts has raised questions about whether it is always clear when tweets are, in fact, ads," said Smith. "We've now issued advice to advertisers suggesting they use #ad or #spon if it's not otherwise clear what the communication is." | "The use of celebrities to endorse products or services through their own Twitter accounts has raised questions about whether it is always clear when tweets are, in fact, ads," said Smith. "We've now issued advice to advertisers suggesting they use #ad or #spon if it's not otherwise clear what the communication is." |
| The burgeoning "daily deals" sector was also made to toe the line after the ASA referred market leader GroupOn to the Office of Fair Trading. | The burgeoning "daily deals" sector was also made to toe the line after the ASA referred market leader GroupOn to the Office of Fair Trading. |
| In its ruling the OFT found GroupOn guilty of "widespread" breaches of consumer protection laws relating to areas including pricing, advertising and unfair terms attached to its daily deals. | In its ruling the OFT found GroupOn guilty of "widespread" breaches of consumer protection laws relating to areas including pricing, advertising and unfair terms attached to its daily deals. |
| "A company or sector's infancy does not absolve them from following the rules that protect the public from misleading ads," said the ASA. "As is often the case when you are one of the first or biggest players in a new industry, GroupOn has been the benchmark for all advertisers in that sector. In the past year we've tackled misleading and unfair advertising in the daily deals sector, working with the sector to improve their internal compliance processes." | "A company or sector's infancy does not absolve them from following the rules that protect the public from misleading ads," said the ASA. "As is often the case when you are one of the first or biggest players in a new industry, GroupOn has been the benchmark for all advertisers in that sector. In the past year we've tackled misleading and unfair advertising in the daily deals sector, working with the sector to improve their internal compliance processes." |
| In the travel sector the scrutiny that TripAdvisor's user review system has come under prompted the ASA to investigate how it markets and advertises itself to consumers. | In the travel sector the scrutiny that TripAdvisor's user review system has come under prompted the ASA to investigate how it markets and advertises itself to consumers. |
| TripAdvisor was told to remove the expressions "reviews you can trust" and "read reviews from real travellers" after the ASA said it became clear that the company could not prove all reviews were from genuine travellers. | TripAdvisor was told to remove the expressions "reviews you can trust" and "read reviews from real travellers" after the ASA said it became clear that the company could not prove all reviews were from genuine travellers. |
| Top 5 most complained about ads of 2012 | Top 5 most complained about ads of 2012 |
| 1. Go Compare, Stuart Pearce: 1,008 – not upheld | 1. Go Compare, Stuart Pearce: 1,008 – not upheld |
| 2. Go Compare, Sue Barker: 797 – not upheld | 2. Go Compare, Sue Barker: 797 – not upheld |
| 3. Channel 4, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings: 373 – upheld in part | 3. Channel 4, Big Fat Gypsy Weddings: 373 – upheld in part |
| 4. Kerry Foods, Richmond Ham: 371 – upheld in part | 4. Kerry Foods, Richmond Ham: 371 – upheld in part |
| 5. Paddy Power, Transgendered Ladies: 311 – out of remit as on YouTube in Ireland | 5. Paddy Power, Transgendered Ladies: 311 – out of remit as on YouTube in Ireland |
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