ASA - Advertising Standards Authority

The following decisions have been released to the ASA website:

Complaint 21/026 DB Breweries, Tiger Beer, Billboard, Settled
Complaint 21/028 Global Shop Direct, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/029 New Zealand Government, Unstoppable Summer, Radio, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/030 Richmond Villas, Radio, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/031 Suzuki, Website, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/033 Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/034 Your Car, Instagram, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/005 Tower Insurance, GoCarma, Television, Not Upheld
Complaint 21/008 Chemist Warehouse, Digital Marketing, Upheld
Complaint 21/016 Radio NZ National, Spotify, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/041 Aquaman, Digital Marketing, Settled
Complaint 21/042 Empire Chicken, Radio, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/048 Madman Entertainment, The Marksman, Ondemand, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 20/561 Lion Beer Spirits & Wine, Steinlager, Television, Not Upheld
Complaint 20/591 Beers at Basin, Out of Home, Upheld
Complaint 20/608 Lion Beer Spirits & Wine, Steinlager, Television, Not Upheld and Settled
Complaint 21/019 Cotton On, Instore, Settled
Complaint 21/036 Horizon Regional Council, Radio, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/050 New Zealand Government, COVID 19, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/056 Wilson Parking, Billboard, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/018 Genesis Energy, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/046 Coca Cola Amatil New Zealand, Pump, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/055 Z Energy, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/057 Mars NZ, Pedigee, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/058 _Stellaki, Instagram, Settled
Complaint 20/463 Salud Health, Digital Marketing, Settled
Complaint 21/025 Holistic Acupuncture & Meridian Massage Therapy, Unaddressed Mail, Settled
Complaint 21/035 TrueFit, Digital Marketing, Settled
Complaint 21/037 Latenight Barber, Radio, Settled
Complaint 21/038 Lotto, Instant Kiwi, Facebook, Website, Not Upheld
Complaint 21/039 Asahi Beverages, Long Beach Vodka, Cinema, No Grounds to Proceed
Complaint 21/070 Simone Anderson, Instagram, Settled
Complaint 21/003 The Warehouse Group, Television, Not Upheld
Complaint 21/063 @Eva.w.jones Instagram, Settled
Complaint 21/071 @chelshawarbuton Instagram, Settled
Complaint 21/073 @forkingyum, Instagram, Settled

Chemist Warehouse #1 claim not proven

The Chemist Warehouse digital advertisement on www.stuff.co.nz stated they were “New Zealand’s #1 online pharmacy” and promoted “Free shipping over $50.”

The Complainant was concerned the claim Chemist Warehouse is New Zealand’s number one online pharmacy was misleading.

The Advertiser defended the advertisement, stating the claim fell within the category of “obvious untruths, exaggeration, puffery or deliberate hyperbole that are unlikely to mislead” allowable under the Advertising Standards Code.

The Complaints Board unanimously agreed the advertisement was misleading as it made an absolute claim about the Advertiser’s ranking in comparison to other New Zealand online pharmacies, which had not been substantiated.

The Complaints Board ruled the complaint was Upheld and the advertisement was to be removed.

Influencer complaints settled

The ASA has regularly received complaints about identification of influencer ad content since the release of the Influencers AdHelp Information on Identifying Ad Content. Five recent decisions are included here, on whether ad content was sufficiently identified. In these cases, the influencers have proactively engaged with the self-regulatory process by removing or amending their posts, and confirming their understanding of the ad label requirements for future content.