Who actually complains about an advert?
Discussion
I've just read an article (link below) on the top 10 most controversial adverts of 2008.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8020881.stm
What kind of person actually complains about an advert? I am obviously naive, as I thought people that would actually take time out of their day to complain about something they've seen on TV or on the side of a bus didn't really exist.
It seems I am wrong.
Walkers withdrew an advert where Lineker drives a bus under a low bridge because it might upset people who have been on a bus that was in an accident because it drove under a low bridge? Bloody hell.
It's good to note that not one of the complaints were upheld though.
I'd like to find every single one of the complainers and shoot them in the face.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8020881.stm
What kind of person actually complains about an advert? I am obviously naive, as I thought people that would actually take time out of their day to complain about something they've seen on TV or on the side of a bus didn't really exist.
It seems I am wrong.
Walkers withdrew an advert where Lineker drives a bus under a low bridge because it might upset people who have been on a bus that was in an accident because it drove under a low bridge? Bloody hell.
It's good to note that not one of the complaints were upheld though.
I'd like to find every single one of the complainers and shoot them in the face.
If I was reading this rant i'd give it 1 out of 10 - not nearly enough swearing. I didn't want anyone to complain though
Well, I rather fancy writing to the BBC and complaining about Sun Sea Sand and Bargain Spotting - after all, surely they will think of the Carbon Footprint of that show? Just to see what their reply is... Then I was going to answer back that I also think that their news teams have no real need to go and travel around the country and world and stand outside the event..... Then move on to the vast numbers of lights in studios and shows like 1 vs 100 where they have all these people who travel to the studio yet really don't do anything, but all that carbon footprint they must use.....
One day, when I am really bored, I will do it, and see how far I can wind a greenie up (of course, I need to do this on a "MMGW is worse than we really though" news day)..
One day, when I am really bored, I will do it, and see how far I can wind a greenie up (of course, I need to do this on a "MMGW is worse than we really though" news day)..
whilst i wasn't actually on the bus, I do remember seeing a bus crash as it went under a low bridge (kind of, but it had a building on top) in aberystwyth whilst i was at uni (yet strangely can't find any evidence of it with google) - anyway, the advert didn't remind me of it, but this thread did .... where do i complain?
So if just 100 of us complain about the 'speed kills' advert, it should get withdrawn? Seriously though, what proportion is 170 people out of nearly 60 million? I would imagine they are the type of people who spend most of their time glaring at anyone who parks in 'their' space and do 40 in a 60
I complained about East Midland Mainline advertising reduced journey times and more services, when in actual fact from my station and the following they were being massively cut and increased journey times by around 10%.
It got rejected as there were improvements to some towns, so why f
king advertise it at my station and the others that suffer? tw@ts.
It got rejected as there were improvements to some towns, so why f
king advertise it at my station and the others that suffer? tw@ts.Back in the mid 90's I had 3 ads (all for a sports shoe brand) investigated by the ASA. (Poster and mags rather than TV). The first one had a very loose drug reference - strap line was "The ultimate head trip" - but if anything it was an anti drug message. Anyway a headteacher from Cumbria complained to the ASA and they banned it - 3 months after the campaign had finished! The result was great publicity, I was even interviewed on Radio 1 and they played the piece on all BBC local stations.
The following year I ran a campaign using the strap line "The best F in shoes". (The brand logo was a big stylised F). This was far more controversial in my opinion (deliberately so) and received hundreds of complaints as it was on 12 and 48 sheet poster sites all over the UK and in a dozen or so glossy mags. The ASA investigated and didn't ban it.
The following year we ran a campaign featuring very old people sat in "God's waiting room" under the strap line "Any last requests" with a thought bubble with one of our products in it. Again loads of complaints but no action.
All 3 campaigns were targeted at 16-25 year olds and all were very successful. The point is that the volume of complaints is not the issue, as can be seen from the top 10. And 1 person can get an ad banned if the ASA agree with them.
The following year I ran a campaign using the strap line "The best F in shoes". (The brand logo was a big stylised F). This was far more controversial in my opinion (deliberately so) and received hundreds of complaints as it was on 12 and 48 sheet poster sites all over the UK and in a dozen or so glossy mags. The ASA investigated and didn't ban it.
The following year we ran a campaign featuring very old people sat in "God's waiting room" under the strap line "Any last requests" with a thought bubble with one of our products in it. Again loads of complaints but no action.
All 3 campaigns were targeted at 16-25 year olds and all were very successful. The point is that the volume of complaints is not the issue, as can be seen from the top 10. And 1 person can get an ad banned if the ASA agree with them.
12 people complained to the ASA about the Iggy Pop Swift Cover car insurance running on Sky 1 before all their Sci-Fi programmes. They said that at the time Swift did not cover musicians and it was misleading. They aren't allowed to show them any more. So some good does come from a few complaints 
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8023358.s...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8023358.s...
The BBC Article said:
A TV ad for Walkers crisps featuring ex-footballer Gary Lineker was deemed offensive for a scene in which a bus drove under a bridge and had its top deck ripped off.
Some of those who complained said it could have upset people who had experienced such accidents.
After hearing of the complaints, Walkers Snack Foods Ltd decided to withdraw the ad and no action needed to be taken by the ASA.
i.e. The people complaining are not the people that HAVE witnessed this kind of event, rather that they are the sad lifeless busy bodies that have nothing better to do than to poke their noses and opinions in where they are not wanted.Some of those who complained said it could have upset people who had experienced such accidents.
After hearing of the complaints, Walkers Snack Foods Ltd decided to withdraw the ad and no action needed to be taken by the ASA.
FourWheelDrift said:
12 people complained to the ASA about the Iggy Pop Swift Cover car insurance running on Sky 1 before all their Sci-Fi programmes. They said that at the time Swift did not cover musicians and it was misleading. They aren't allowed to show them any more. So some good does come from a few complaints
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8023358.s...
Indeed - that man gives pricks a bad name.http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/8023358.s...
Phil Burton of Brighton said:
I would like to know what the ASA actually do? I was one of those who complained about the Heinz Deli Mayo ad with the same sex kissing as I did actually find this offensive, but got the standard letter saying that the ASA did not agree, as it has by the looks of it, for all the top 10 ads shown here. I won't bother to write in future!.
Result!! 
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