background image
22
The Brief | Volume 19, Edition 2
Mad Men or
Bad Men?
Advertisements
and Complaints
STEVE CANTON examines the formal
advertising complaint process
A
dvertising is becoming
more than just television
commercials and
catalogues; it is becoming a
major part of our culture. There are
television programs like Mad Men
and The Gruen Transfer, stunt ads
like the now historic Carlton Draft
Big Ad, product placement in movies
like Skyfall and advertisements on
Google and Facebook. Whilst most
of us either enjoy or are indifferent to
these advertisements some members
of society are so annoyed or offended
by them that they complain to an
agency known as the Advertising
Standards Bureau.
Since it hears more complaints the
Advertising Standards Board is
more likely to receive new or unique
complaints. Recently the Advertising