ASA Watchdog Launches Campaign to Reassure Advertisers
The Advertising Standards Authority is set to launch an initiative to convince major advertisers it isn't a "mob" that is "out to get them".
Their charm offensive is outlined in their latest annual report released out today, which shows the ASA has handled over 25,000 complaints about 13,074 ads in 2010 - 6% less than 2009.
This follows from the organisation's 'process review' which found poor relationships with some high profile advertisers such as supermarkets led to a 'lack of understanding' about the watchdog's activities, which then delayed its adjudication processes.
An ASA spokesman commented: "Some big brand advertisers feel negative towards us because the only relationship they have is when we uphold a complaint which generates negative coverage for their brand and impacts on their reputation."
He added: "We will be making an effort to talk to some of those advertisers about our work, to explain that we spend a lot of time dismissing ungrounded complaints about their brands and we're not a mob who is out to get them."