The latest from Ad Standards

Complaints are up at Ad Standards, with 278 complaints lodged in the past month leading to 32 new cases considered by the Ad Standards Community Panel.

The top issues of concern for Australians in the first half of 2022 were violence, sex, sexuality and nudity, and discrimination or vilification.One of the more interesting cases last month was an Instagram ad for an international fast fashion company that was found to breach the Code of Ethics. The ad was posted by a young influencer posing in a black dress with cut outs and included a special discount code.

The Community Panel found that the content sexualised a minor. Advertisers must not use sexual appeal in ads featuring people who are or appear to be under 18.

In a written response the advertiser argued that the content was not advertising, however the Panel considered that it met the definition of advertising in the Code because the post promoted the brand, tagged the brand and shared a special discount code.

This is a timely reminder for brands and influencers to be aware that their ads on social media must comply with all the advertising industry codes, not just Section 2.7 (Distinguishable Advertising) of the Code of Ethics.

View the full case report here. Check out all the latest decisions from the Ad Standards Community Panel here.