Hearts & Minds: So, your ad got banned. Now what?

Once a month, the UK’s Advertising Standards Agency cites the adverts it has seen fit to ban. It’s not statutory - the body is funded by the ad industry through a levy - but it is pretty much treated and accepted as the de facto regulator. For the media, their decisions always make for easy copy and it is visual to boot. What’s not to like? But if you’re in comms and it is your ad, your brand, that has been slated, it is a headache.

Two campaigns were in the ASA crosshairs yesterday. One was a fashion ad featuring an unrealistically thin model. Another was for beer that drew a grand total of just one complaint but was banned on the grounds that the content implied alcohol can cure boredom, irritation and loneliness.

What is the best way to approach this? Say very little. Do not try to stop the coverage, you can’t. Likewise, good luck with trying to shape the narrative. You will be listened to, but the media is not really listening. You’ve been called out by your peers effectively, prompted by the public, or at least a member of the public in the beer’s case. For some reason your campaign has been found to contravene social norms, best to keep your response short and apologetic and to accept the penalty. What you most definitely do not want to do is to pour petrol on the flames, to generate a full-scale row, see politicians take an interest and next, the CEO is called to publicly explain themselves and to be pilloried. Pulling an ad is one thing; ritual squirming and humiliation, possibly accompanied by widespread protest, blockades and calls for heads to roll, is quite another.

This month’s targets were in areas - the size of fashion models, effects of alcohol - that frequently arouse controversy. Others include gambling, sugar and fat in food, health and wellbeing, anything involving children.   

Everyone wants to make arresting ads. That means sometimes testing the boundaries. Occasionally, someone will overstep the line. The watchdog’s decision can be costly, you’ve got the space booked and paid for, now it must be pulled. Similarly, other ads that were due to form the same sales push will likely go.

The criticism is bad news. No one likes it. But it happens. Try and treat the episode as not-so-bad news. After all, in the case of the beer ad, the publicity likely served to boost brand awareness substantially. Take your medicine and move on.

Chris Blackhurst is one of the UK’s foremost business journalists. He was previously Editor of The Independent and City Editor of the Evening Standard.