ASA news and archive

ASA bans PrettyLittleThing ad for ‘socially irresponsible’ images

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has announced that it has banned an ad by PrettyLittleThing which it said could be considered as sexualising a minor. The ruling concerned an ad campaign featuring Travis Barker’s 16-year-old daughter and brand ambassador Alabama Barker, who can be seen in what the ASA claimed are sexually suggestive...

Fashion

Majority of Instagram ads not labelled correctly by brands and influencers

The grey area of advertising on Instagram remains much too broad, with just 35 percent of ads clearly labelled by influencers and brands. A new report by the ASA, British Advertising Standards Authority, finds influencers not sticking to the rules with too much content not disclosed as advertising. In September last year, the ASA undertook a...

Fashion

Romwe rapped by ASA for selling real fur as faux

The Advertising Standards Authority has penalised fast-fashion online retailer Romwe for selling real animal fur as faux fur, following a complaint by animal charity Humane Society International/UK (HSI UK). HSI UK found two items for sale online marketed as faux fur which they had testing by an independent textile analysis laboratory and they...

BusinessFeatured

Pretty Little Thing advert banned for being 'overly sexualized'

An advertisement by fast fashion retailer Pretty Little Thing has been banned for being offensive and overly sexualized. The campaign, which features scantily dressed women wearing exposing lingerie, was shown in a YouTube advertisement but banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for depicting women as sex objects. According to the...

Fashion Featured

ASA warns retailers of legal action over faux fur claims

The Compliance function of the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), which is part of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regulatory system, has issued an enforcement notice to clothing retailers to take immediate action to ensure that any items advertised as containing fake fur are not made from real fur. UK retailers, including...

Fashion Featured

Boohoo faux fur jumper found to contain real fur

Online retailer Boohoo has been condemned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) for selling a faux fur pom pom jumper that was found to contain real fur, which it states was “misleading” to consumers. The UK advertising watchdog upheld complaints by Humane Society International (HSI) UK, and ruled that the advert for the jumper on the...

RetailFeatured

Boohoo promotions 'broke advertising rules', BBC Watchdog reveals

UK-based e-tailer Boohoo has been accused by the BBC watchdog programme Watchdog Live of breaking Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) rules through ‘misleading’ promotions on the brand’s website. Watchdog Live said that Boohoo had promotions on its website that didn’t in fact end when a countdown clock reached zero, meaning customers felt...

Fashion

Advertising Standards Authority bans Nasty Gal ads

Online womenswear brand Nasty Gal has had three of its adverts, which aired over the summer, banned by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) after 22 complainants believed the model looked “unhealthily thin” and claimed the ads were “socially irresponsible”. The advertising watchdog agreed and stated that the model appeared “unhealthily...

Retail

Superdry free-running ad labeled 'harmful and irresponsible' by ASA

A short video advert released by high street retailer Superdry featuring a free-runner walking along a steel support beam high above a cityscape has been branded "harmful and irresponsible" by the UK's Advertising Standards Authority. The advert, which was originally released in late October, stars Harry Gallagher, a free-runner under the name...

Fashion Featured

London Mayor says 'No' to unhealthy body images

London - Sadiq Khan, the newly elected Mayor of London, has announced a new partnership with the city's public transport network, Transport for London (TfL) which will put an end to adverts that may cause body confidence issues. Taking action on his pledge the ban all unhealthy body image ads across the TfL network, the new initiative will see...

Fashion

Jack Wills advert banned for being 'sexually suggestive'

London - An advert from high street retailer Jack Wills in a direct mail catalogue has been banned by the UK advertising watchdog for featuring 'sexually suggestive' images and text. The advert, which was featured in the spring catalogue of Jack Wills in February, depicted female and male models in the retailer's underwear, dancing and drinking...

Fashion

UK advertising watchdog bans YSL advert with 'unhealthily thin' model

Britain's advertising watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said Wednesday it had banned a magazine ad promoting French fashion house Saint Laurent because the model featured was "unhealthily thin". The black and white photograph, showing the model lying on her back on the ground in a short skirt, tights and platform heels, was...