Complain about an ad

What you can complain about

When you make your complaint, you need to know which of the codes of practice you think the ad breached.

Advertising codes

Make a complaint

1. Submit your complaint

If you’re complaining about:

• a print ad, include a copy of the ad
• a TV or radio commercial, give the approximate time, date and station of the broadcast
• an internet ad, include the website where you saw it.

Make your complaint online

Or send your signed and dated complaint to:

2. The ASA will look at your complaint

If the ASA can’t deal with your complaint, they’ll:

• tell you the complaint won’t be taken further, and
• send a written decision to you, the advertiser and the media.

If they can deal with your complaint, they’ll:

• tell you the complaint will be investigated
• send the complaint to everyone involved and ask for their opinions and comments
• determine whether the codes of practice have been breached
• inform everyone involved of the outcome, and
• send a written decision to you, the advertiser and the media.

If your complaint is investigated by the ASA, you’ll have to agree in writing that you won’t take any other forms of action.

3. The ASA will make a decision

If they agree with your complaint and find that a code of practice has been breached, they’ll:

• ask the advertiser to withdraw the ad immediately
• ask the media not to publish or broadcast the ad anymore, and
• inform you of the decision.

If they find that no code of practice has been breached, they’ll:

• inform you of the decision, and
• send a written decision to you, the advertiser and the media.

4. Appealing the decision

If you don’t agree with the ASA, you can appeal within 14 days of receiving the written decision. Send your signed and dated appeal to: