Latest decisions: Period proof underwear, billboard on transplant abuse in China, and more

The following decisions have been released to the ASA website:

• Complaint 21/471 Mediaworks, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/472 Ministry for Pacific People and Ministry of Health, Unite against Covid 19, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/474 Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet, Unite against Covid 19, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/481 OneChoice, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/488 Fonterra, Anchor, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/205 Hell Pizza, Website, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/243 Whanau Awhina Plunket, Radio, Settled
• Complaint 21/459 Chilly Box, Facebook, Settled
• Complaint 21/476 Rockgas, Facebook, Settled
• Complaint 21/479 The University of Waikato, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/485 Waipareira Trust, Te Whanau o Waipareira, Facebook and Billboard, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/490 Test your Intolerance, Website, Settled
• Complaint 21/498 Torpedo 7, Television, Settled
• Complaint 21/499 ANZ, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/091 Harrisons Energy Solutions, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/149 McDonalds Monopoly, Digital Marketing, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/251 NZ Post, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/266 Raised on Real Food, Facebook, Settled
• Complaint 21/284 Carpet Country, Print, Settled
• Complaint 21/286 St Matthew in the City, Billboard, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/344 Yates New Zealand, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/379 Real Health, Website, Settled
• Complaint 21/483 OneChoice, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/492 For Protection of Zion Trust, Print, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/497 Accuro Health Insurance, Website, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/065 The Market.com, Television, Settled
• Complaint 21/489 Otis Oat Milk, Digital Marketing, Settled
• Complaint 21/072 Turners, Radio, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/145 Subway New Zealand, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/371 Reckitt Benckiser, Dettol, Television, Not Upheld
• Complaint 21/443 Lion NZ, @daisydagg, Wither Hills, Instagram, Not Upheld
• Complaint 21/444 Lion NZ, @hannahlaity, Wither Hills, Instagram, Not Upheld
• Complaint 21/482 Department of Internal Affairs, Three Waters, Television, Not Upheld
• Complaint 21/280 Weight Watchers, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/383 Kathmandu, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/393 Frucor Beverages, V Energy Drink, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/405 New Zealand Labour Party, Facebook, Settled
• Complaint 21/409 DB Breweries Limited, Club Seltzer, Youtube, Settled
• Complaint 21/442 Sky Network Television, Sky Broadband Television, Not Upheld
• Complaint 21/448 Sanitarium Health and Wellbeing, Light n Tasty Cereal, Television, No Grounds to Proceed
• Complaint 21/462 International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China, Billboard, Upheld
• Complaint 21/500 AWWA, TVNZ OnDemand, Not Upheld

Period underwear complaint not upheld

The Complaints Board has not upheld a complaint about a TVNZ OnDemand advertisement for AWWA period underwear.

The TV ad showed images of blood-stained underwear and bedding, as well as a used sanitary pad. Eight complaints were received about the ad, with concerns the advert was graphic and offensive.

In its defence of the ad, the advertiser said it was “an honest portrayal… including scenes with depicted menstrual blood in all familiar scenarios that have previously been shamed upon”.

The Board said social issues such as period shame and period poverty were now more openly discussed, and the advertisement aimed to normalise a woman’s experience of menstruation.

The Board said the ad was targeted to adult females and had been prepared and placed in a socially responsible way. It also said the ad did not meet the threshold to cause serious or widespread offense.

The complaint was not upheld.

Billboard for International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China upheld 

The Complaints Board has upheld a complaint about a billboard advertisement for the International Coalition to End Transplant Abuse in China.

The billboard had a photo of two masked people in an operating theatre and the text: “They take your freedom – They take your organs – Then they take your life. EndTransplantAbuse.org”.

The complainant had concerns the ad was misleading as people could think the practice was taking place in New Zealand.

While the Board agreed the billboard was an advocacy advertisement, it agreed the advertisement was misleading and did cause fear or distress without justification. This was because it was not clear from the advertisement that the Advertiser was concerned the practice of organ harvesting was occurring overseas, in China.

The Board upheld the complaint.