ADVERTISING STANDARDS AUTHORITY

Advertising Standards Authority

Advertising Standards Authority

Introduction

The main purpose of this paper is to make a case analysis of L'Oreal owned Maybelline and Lancome, and gives a review on the rules of Advertising Standards Authority. The paper gives an analysis on the rules imposed by the advertising standards agency and determines that are they reflective of public demand?

Case Review

This case is about ads of L'Oreal owned brand Maybelline and Lancome make-up brands. The advertising standards authority has banned these ads because Jo Swinson MP pressurized the authority to ban these ads because of using the airbrushes and technology. Swinson was running an anti-airbrushing campaign, and according to her these two companies have used airbrushing techniques, which is illegal. Therefore, the Advertising Standards Agency took the initiative and banned these ads because of the usage of airbrushing and post production techniques. L'Oreal Company has accepted the fact that they have used the post production techniques but, the image was the true depiction of the results the product could achieve.

Discussion

Advertisement is a great tool used by the companies, to promote their products. In order to make their products most demanding, companies sometimes use false techniques and methods. This is a wrong act which the companies should not adopt, because in such way they are making the customers fool, and showing them the wrong techniques (Arnett, 2008, p. 90). Therefore, there is a great need for such standards to restrict these false acts. In UK, there are different codes of practice and legislation to control these acts. There are mainly two committees for monitoring and revision of advertising codes. The names of these committees are Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP).

In order to facilitate the complaints of public, ASA has created an autonomous Advertising Standards Complaints Board. If any person is facing a problem with any advertisement and feels that the company has violated the ASA rules then he can easily make complain to the complaints boards. The board takes comments from all the concerned parties and after hearing all the arguments pass the final judgement on the complaint. If the complain from the public is authentic, then the advertising company is liable to withdraw the offending advertisement as soon as possible. Through this action, of ASA people are sure that they have protection against such advertisements, and can raise their voice against the undesirable and unethical practices (Arnett, 2008, p. 90). This is a very positive act that ensures people that their arguments will be treated fairly, and for this, they do not need any complex and lengthy procedure. Advertising standards agency has developed these codes in order to avoid any unethical practice and has left a margin to update and amend these codes whenever it finds any need to amend it. In the process of reviewing and making amendments to these codes, there is also some involvement of government ministries, mainstream consumer groups, industry, government and other interested parties (Cohen, 2007, ...