Ad Standards has published its annual Review of Operations. The report provides an overview of Ad Standards’ work in 2022 and a comprehensive analysis of advertising complaints statistics.
“Ad Standards undertook a great deal of important work in 2022, work that is driven by our commitment to an advertising self-regulation system that exceeds best practice and meets the needs of the community, industry and government,” said Ad Standards Executive Director Richard Bean.
Key statistics from the 2022 Review of Operations include:
- 2,601 complaints received about ads leading to 249 cases being assessed by the Ad Standards Community Panel.
- 61 ads found in breach of one or more of the advertising codes.
- The top issue of concern was sex, sexuality and nudity (29.85% of complaints) followed by violence (17.16% of complaints).
- Ads seen on free-to-air TV generated the most complaints (57.05%) followed by social media (13.69%).
- The most complained about product category was food and beverages (16.84%) followed by gambling (8.54%).
- 8.34% of complaints raised issues about distinguishable advertising on social media (up from just 2.68% in 2021)
- Complaints linked to the Environmental Claims Code increased from 1.37% in 2021 to 2.3% in 2022.
“Ad Standards provides a platform for the community to raise concerns about advertising content on any media,” said Richard Bean.
“We are proud of our activities and achievements in 2022 and thank the industry for its support and commitment to responsible advertising. By effectively addressing advertising complaints, we achieve positive outcomes that benefit both the community and advertisers.”
To see the full Review of Operations and learn more about Ad Standards visit the Ad Standards website.