Advertising Standards Authority

The Advertising Standards Authority's purpose is to check advertisements, to ensure that they are not misleading, or offensive towards the audience. They recieve complaints about adverts seen or heard, and have the right to take action against those who own the adverts.

TV started broadcasting in 1955, and the advertisements were controlled by legislation. When commercial radio was launched in 1973, they too were subject to statutory control. In 1961, the Advertising Association agreed that it was important that advertisements were welcomed and trusted by consumers in non-broadcast media too.

Adjudications made by the ASA:
Cancer Research UK delivered in a plain brown envelope through recipients’ letter boxes stated “It Doesn’t Matter To Me Who YOU ARE” in place of the address. A letter inside stated "EVERYONE KNOWS ME. And they know the devastation I cause. I didn't think it could happen to me. That's what a lot of people say. The truth is it happens to most of more than one in three. For those people, their friends and families, things won't ever be the same again. And it's all down to me. I AM CANCER ... I don't care who I hurt... WHY AM I WRITING TO YOU? I used to have everything my own way. When someone tried to fight me, I always won. But now it's getting harder. More and more of you are ganging up on me. People are giving money and funding research. Scientists are outsmarting me. And there's one group threatening me the most. CANCER RESEARCH UK ARE FIGHTING BACK. They've been coming after me for a long time. Now they're saying that someday soon, I won't be a death threat anymore ... I'M STILL HERE. But before you think the fight is over, you're forgetting one thing. The people at Cancer Research UK need more funding to carry on their research ... But times are tough. Any money isn't easy to come by. Sure, twice as many people might survive compared to 40 years ago. But I'm still tearing lives apart. Every two minutes I take hold of another person ... DON'T GIVE MONEY. So let me give you some advice. Don't donate to Cancer Research UK. I'm sure you have better things to spend your money on than trying to beat me. Don't you?".        One complainant challenged whether the envelope was clearly identifiable as marketing material. Three complainants challenged whether the envelope and the content of the letter was threatening and likely to cause serious distress to past or current sufferers of cancer, or other vulnerable members of the public.         The ad must not appear again in its current form. Cancer Research UK must ensure that future ads did not cause serious distress and were clearly identifiable as marketing material.