ASA: From managing complaints to protection from deception

The ASA was in danger of being left behind. They lacked purpose and strategy in an increasingly digital world. We helped them develop a robust and compelling 5-year strategy which clarified their role in society to protect consumers from misleading advertising not just respond to complaints

Use of #ad on Instagram grew 42% in 2018

following the issuance of new guidelines by the ASA

No. of 11-16 year olds gambling fell by 3%

From 39% to 36% between Oct 2018 and Oct 2019, after the ASA issued new standards to protect children from gambling

The Challenge

In 2013, the role of the ASA was becoming increasingly uncertain as it failed to define its place in a digital world. In addition, the team was facing a spiralling workload that was becoming too much to handle.

The Senior Leadership Team were seeking a strategy that would help them prioritise work and drive the kind of organisational change that would set them up for future success.

The Insight

• We went back through old reports and listened to views about the ASA from politicians, consumers, advertisers and media companies.

• Responding to consumer complaints was not what people valued about the ASA

• Protecting consumers and encouraging responsible advertising was what really mattered

• They allowed advertising to be a positive force, rather than a negative one

• At its best, the ASA had provided both functional and emotional support to keep the integrity of the advertising industry in tact

The Solution

• We helped the ASA develop a compelling 5-year strategy that would see them take the lead in the advertising regulation market because it really mattered to society.

• As part of this, they made key strategic choices. They decided to be proactive, taking action before consumers complained rather than waiting to react once they did

• They decided not to give the same efforts to every complaint – they found which complaint mattered the most in preventing harm and prioritised efforts around those

• They decided to engage with and educate marketers and advertisers, to prevent them from making mistakes in the first place.

The Result

The ASA now had a clear strategic role to play in the advertising market and a strong view of how to keep up with digital innovation.

A number of impactful developments followed. In March 2017, the ASA and the Committee of Advertising Practice issued guidelines for brands working with influencers, urging both parties to be transparent about sponsored content and introducing compulsory #ad in Sept 2018. In November 2018, ASA Chief Executive Guy Parker went to multiple news outlets to warn against the dangers of misleading Black Friday marketing; in April 2019 effective new standards were issued to protect children from irresponsible gambling ads; and in October 2019 the ASA banned ads for appetite suppressants products for making unauthorised health claims.