This information provides a general overview of Board determinations on complaints about the portrayal of violence in advertising.
It is designed to assist the advertising industry, the self-regulatory body, consumers and others interested in understanding how the Board has viewed violence in advertising where it has been the subject of complaints in the past.
It is not a “how-to” guide and is not an exhaustive or extensive consideration of all relevant issues.
Humour, works of art and historical settings can all be positive elements in advertising. However, the Board will consider whether in its opinion, these techniques are used simply as an excuse to show violence or to portray behaviour which it considers unacceptable today.
This document refers to specific practical examples of the issues under discussion and may assist understanding of some of the relevant issues that were considered by the Board and the Board’s determinations at that time. These were current at the time of writing and should be used as a starting point only – please refer to the ASB website for more up to date examples.