A report examined the impact of alcohol advertising on young people following the tightening of the advertising codes in 2005. Children and young adults were being exposed to fewer alcohol advertisements on television: between 2002 and 2006 'advertising impacts' fell by 31 per cent for those aged 16-24, and by 39 per cent for those aged 10-15. There had been a significant decline in the proportion of young people saying that they felt alcohol adverts were aimed at them.
Source: Young People and Alcohol Advertising: An investigation of alcohol advertising following changes to the advertising code, Advertising Standards Authority (020 7492 2222) and Office of Communications
Links: Report | ASA press release
Date: 2007-Nov
A report said that a government drive to cut drinking among young people was being undermined by lenient advertising rules which exposed children daily to television adverts for alcohol.
Source: Not in Front of the Children: Child protection and advertising, Alcohol Concern (020 7928 7377)
Links: Report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Aug
A paper examined commercial pressures on children, and the implications for public policy in terms of children?s freedom, the rights of children, and the protection of children.
Source: David Piachaud, Freedom to be a Child: Commercial pressures on children, CASEpaper 127, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion/London School of Economics (020 7955 6679)
Links: Paper
Date: 2007-Aug
Campaigners launched a 'Charter for Childhood', containing a series of proposals designed to protect children from advertising, and provide opportunities for all children to participate in outdoor play.
Source: Charter for Childhood, Compass (020 7463 0633)
Links: Charter
Date: 2007-Jun
A new book examined the position of advertising in consumer culture, and the ways in which it 'created' desire and wants.
Source: Pamela Odih, Advertising in Modern and Postmodern Times, SAGE Publications Ltd (020 7324 8500)
Links: Summary
Date: 2007-May
The advertising standards watchdog said that the total number of complaints lodged with it in 2006 fell by 14.5 per cent (to 22,429) from the previous year, although a record number of advertisements (12,842) were complained about. The number of complaints about internet advertising rose by 33 per cent. Religious offence, violent imagery, and same-sex kisses headed the list of most complained-about advertisements.
Source: Annual Report 2006, Advertising Standards Authority (020 7492 2222)
Links: Report | ASA press release | FT report
Date: 2007-May
The advertising standards watchdog announced new rules for gambling advertisements, effective from September 2007. The rules were designed to ensure that all gambling advertisements were socially responsible, with a particular regard for the need to protect children and vulnerable members of society.
Source: CAP and BCAP Gambling Advertising Rules and BCAP Spread Betting Rules, Advertising Standards Authority (020 7492 2222)
Links: Rules | ASA press release | BBC report | Guardian report
Date: 2007-Mar