Comments on the Air NZ Advertising Court Decision

MEDIA RELEASE

Friday, 25 November 2005

Advertising Standards Authority comments on the Air New Zealand Advertising Court Decision

Following the recent successful prosecution by the Commerce Commission in the District Court relating to Air New Zealand advertising, the Advertising Standards Authority will study the decision closely and consider its impact on its own codes of practice. Hilary Souter, Executive Director of the ASA, said “the ASA Code of Ethics has a rule covering truthful presentation in advertising, and it is very helpful to have a Decision from the District Court that provides additional legal interpretation about the use of small print in advertising.”

“The Advertising Standards Complaints Board regularly receives complaints about advertisements that consumers consider misleading because of information provided in the small print.”

Ms Souter indicated that this is a complex area that the Authority has considered in compiling its Codes of Advertising Practice.

“We are committed to best practice in advertising and will take this opportunity to consider providing additional information in our Codes as a result of the detailed examination undertaken by the Court of the Air New Zealand advertising.”

Copies of the advertising codes of practice are available on the ASA website, www.asa.co.nz or from the ASA office in Wellington.

The following organisations are members of the ASA:
Association of New Zealand Advertisers, Communication Agencies Association of New Zealand, Letterbox Media Association, Magazine Publishers' Association (Inc), Newspaper Publishers' Association of New Zealand (Inc), New Zealand Cinema Advertising Council, New Zealand Community Newspapers Association, New Zealand Marketing Association (Inc), New Zealand Post, New Zealand Television Broadcasters’ Council, Online Publishers’ Group, Outdoor Advertising Association of New Zealand, Pay TV Group and Radio Broadcasters’ Association (Inc)

ENDS

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