Advertising must not depict, encourage or promote behaviour that the general community would consider unsafe or unhealthy.
Section 2.6 of the AANA Code of Ethics states:
Advertising shall not depict material contrary to Prevailing Community Standards on health and safety.
Issues covered by Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics include:
- drug and alcohol use
- smoking
- bullying
- Content which could be damaging to mental health
- body image
- unsafe driving and cycling
- unsafe behaviour and practices inside the home, at work and outside
- high-risk behaviour
- unhygienic behaviour.
For more detail and guidance on the depiction of health and safety in advertising read the AANA Code of Ethics: Practice Note.
Visit our education page to learn more or view a case study for health and safety here.
Examples of previous decisions
Drugs
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| The depiction of cartoon characters or real-life people consuming drugs. | Wicked Campers – 2020, 2021 |
| The insinuation of smoking drugs. | Afends Clothing – 2022 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Vague references to drugs or imagery of drug paraphernalia where the advertising content does not explicitly show the paraphernalia in relation to drugs, portray illicit substances or discuss the use of drugs. | Radio Metro 105.7 – 2019 |
| Community awareness advertising that references and depicts some drug paraphernalia and usage in the context of messaging relating to drug and alcohol support services. | Amity Community Services Inc – 2022 |
Smoking
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
Drinking
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Promoting or depicting unsafe or excessive drinking behaviours. | NightPlan – 2021 Only Chug – 2021 |
| Promoting drinking in situations where it is unsafe or illegal. | Better Brewing Co – 2021 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Depicting people drinking, in moderation, in the vicinity of a pool or body of water or undertaking light physical activity.. | Carlton and Unites Breweries – 2021 Vacay Seltzer – 2021 Hard Fizz – 2020 |
| Promoting give-aways or promotions in connection with purchasing alcoholic beverages. | Schnithouse Hilton – 2021 |
| Promoting alcohol venues or retailers which does not depict alcohol or condone or encourage excess consumption of alcohol. | Southtrade International – 2020 Latitude 34 Wine Company – 2020 Woolworths Group – 2020 |
| Ads promoting alcohol with the disclosure that customers must be over the age of 18. | Grill’d – 2020, 2020 |
Bullying (non-violent)
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| The depiction of a young person being cyber bullied, when not relating to the product being advertised, and with no information on where to seek help. | Jalna Dairy Food – 2021 |
| Depicting or imitating stalking. | Hawkers – 2019 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
Unsafe driving
Complaints about motor vehicle ads are considered under the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) Code, but ads which are not for cars but include driving scenes may be considered under Section 2.6 for health and safety concerns.
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Advertising which shows unsafe driving practices. | Doordash – 2021 NT Tourism – 2021 National Australia Bank – 2020 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Not showing people wearing seatbelts if they are in a parked car where there is no suggestion they have or will drive without using seatbelts. | Titan Enterprises – 2022 Ultra Tune – 2020 Weeks Building Group – 2020 |
| When older model cars are depicted it is reasonable to assume passengers are wearing lap band seatbelts which may not be clearly visible in the ad. | Menulog – 2021 |
| The depiction of driving behaviour which may be considered ‘hooning’ where the behaviour is clearly undertaken by professional drivers in a sporting context. | Repco – 2021, 2021 |
| Showing drivers eating or drinking, dancing or only having one hand on the steering wheel while still driving safely does not depict driving behaviour which is contrary to prevailing community standards. | Telstra – 2020 Uniden Australia – 2020 |
| Depicting someone struggling to drive a manual vehicle is not of itself unsafe. | McDonalds – 2021 |
| The depiction of someone engaging in behaviour which may be dangerous while driving, but who are clearly in a parked vehicle. | Brand Developers – 2021 Station Innovation – 2021 |
| The depiction of 4WDing in a way that is safe and responsible. | Repco Ltd – 2022 |
| The depiction of one vehicle overtaking another in a way that is safe and responsible. | IAG Insurance – 2022 |
Unsafe behaviour
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| The depiction of unsafe actions around water. | Kayo Sports – 2020, 2020, 2020 |
| The use of a mobile phone at a petrol bowser is considered unsafe. | OTR – 2022 |
| Portraying a person riding a bicycle without a bell or on the wrong side of a foot path/bridge contradicts prevailing community standards on bike riding health and safety. | Brisbane City Council – 2020, 2020, 2020 |
| The depiction of unsafe actions on an e-bike. | Flightrisk – 2025 Rig Ebikes – 2024 Fat Boy Bikes – 2024 |
| Misuse of machinery. | Repco – 2022 Woolworths Group – 2020, 2020 |
| Depicting behaviours which are unsafe and may be copied by children. | Sax Fetish – 2021 BMW Group Australia – 2020 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Advertising which uses a gym scenario in a humorous and exaggerated manner where no-one is seen to be injured | Hungry Jacks – 2020 BizCover – 2020 |
| Advertising which raises safety concerns about behaviours which are unlikely to be copied by children. | Sportsbet – 2022 Mitre 10 Australia – 2022 Bupa – 2021 |
| The depiction of behaviour which is consistent with how a product is used in everyday situations and in unlikely to lead to injury. | Amazon AU – 2022 Samsung Electronics Australia Pty Ltd – 2022 Legrand T/A HPM Electrical – 2022 |
| Where a behaviour may result in injury but is not excessively high risk and is legal. | eHarmony – 2021 |
Fantastical elements
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
Safety in the home
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Showing children in potentially unsafe situations in the home, which may be copied by other children or parents and result in injury. | ANZ Banking Group – 2020 |
| Ads which show unsafe practices with electricity. | Volitizer – 2022, 2022, 2022 Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund – 2022 WISR – 2021 SOJO – 2020, 2020 |
| Showing people inside fridges or containers that can be locked from the outside. | Audible – 2020 Betta Electrical Kingaroy – 2018 |
Protective gear
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Advertising showing people riding bicycles in public without helmets. | Ausstech – 2023 ALDI Australia – 2019 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
Other health and safety issues
Examples of ads found in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Showing people engaging in behaviour that would breach the law relating to health or safety. | NT Tourism – 2021 Crazy Domains – 2021 |
| Referencing suicide in a way which trivialises or normalises the serious issue, and referencing suicide without providing support services information. | Mood Tea – 2021 Sonus Complete – 2020 Wicked Campers – 2019 |
| Advertising directed at young people that encourages sexting or unsafe cyber behaviour. | Fachat – 2020 |
| Using models who have been photoshoppped or are of an unrealistic body shape that is unattainable through healthy practices. | Bulgari – 2022 With Jean – 2021 Yves Saint Laurent – 2021 |
Examples of ads found not in breach of Section 2.6 of the Code of Ethics:
| Summary | Case examples |
| Mentioning suicide in an appropriate way. | Mood Tea – 2021 Pedestrian Council of Australia – 2019 |
| Ads for plastic surgeons. | ISPA Clinic – 2022 Laser Clinics Australia – 2020 Horizon Plastic Surgery – 2020 |
| Promoting beauty products by claiming to make a person more attractive. | Kot Nails – 2021 Brand Developers –2021, 2022, 2022 |
| Ads depicting people walking, standing or running on escalators where no one is put in danger. | Telstra – 2020 |