Regulation of advertising takes place through the ASA and OFCOM. The ASA reviews ads to ensure they are suitable and do not cause harm or offense, with rules around children, shock tactics, and unsafe practices. OFCOM is the communications regulator that ensures high quality TV and radio programming appealing to diverse tastes, while protecting viewers from harmful material. Both organizations investigate complaints and can ban ads found to breach their codes, such as a Durex condom ad deemed inappropriate for children to view.

1. Advertising Regulation
Advertising needs to be regulated. Regulation takes place through two main bodies,
the ASA and OFCOM
A.S.A stands for American Standards Association. They tend to scan through advertisements
to see whether they are advertised in the right suitable professional manner. For example, if
a harm and offense was to be advertised it must Include rules relating to loudness of TV ads;
shock tactics, unsafe practices and photosensitive epilepsy. Another example of this could
be advertising children. By doing this Includes rules about unsafe practices and unfair
pressure; pester power and sales promotions for children.
OFCOM stands for the office of communications. OFCOM is the communications regulator.
They tend to make sure that people in the UK get the best from their communications
services and are protected from scams and sharp practices, while ensuring that competition
can progress. The main legal duties that the OFCOM provides is, a wide range of high-quality
television and radio programmers’ are provided, appealing to a range of tastes and
interests, as well as that the people who watch television and listen to the radio are
protected from harmful or offensive material thus they tend to protect people from being
treated unfairly in television and radio programmers’.
A.S.A only needs one justified complaint to begin an investigation into an ad. They tend to
focus on whether the advertising codes have been breached rather than having a load of
complaints.
OFCOM allocates investigations to the appropriate team on a case-by-case basis.
Sometimes, it will be appropriate for the Competition Group Investigations Team to handle
a ‘consumer’ case and vice versa. Case teams may include people from both teams,
depending on the resources and expertise needed for a particular case.
This is a perfect example of a controversial advert as it is inappropriate for the younger
viewers and adults who feel uncomfortable to watch it. It clearly shows three dog shaped
condoms demonstrating different sexual positions, with the ending slogan saying ‘Get It On’.
The Durex advertisement was banned due to the fact that it was inappropriate for prime
time television. This means that it was banned as children; such as kids; should not be
exposed to these types of advertisements. These inappropriate advertisements are bad
even despite the time it’s to be showed as even kids can get access to it easily.