Top 10 Offensive Ads

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has released its Top 10 most offensive adverts of 2007. The usual suspects complained about these two harmless ads: British Heart Foundation (No 7 with 122 complaints) and News Group Newspapers Ltd The Sun (No 10 with 56 complaints). These complaints were not upheld by ASA. It did uphold 774 complaints against a Department of Health advert showing a smoker's face hooked by a fish hook to symbolize nicotine addiction (title link). So DoH is the winner of the Most Offensive Advert Stakes 2007. Well done, Government. Another trophy for Gordon Brown's mantelpiece. Nice to know Brits find your propaganda so offensive. N.B. in 2007 ASA received a record 14,080 complaints, the most common of which were against violence and misleading claims about being green.