ADVERTISING STANDARDS CANADA RELEASES MID-YEAR REPORT
By Adnews Staff
Toronto-based Advertising Standards Canada has released its mid-year report on consumer's complaints to the ASC about advertising. The ASC is the national industry self-regulatory body committed to maintaining community confidence in advertising. The mid-year report includes statistics and case summaries about complaints that were upheld from January 1, 1999 to May 31, 1999. According to Linda Nagel, ASC's president and CEO, during the five month period 445 complaints involving 338 advertisements were received. Four advertisers are named in the report: Future Shop, the Quebec Government, Business Depot and Le Brasserie Stroh Ltee. Sixteen additional advertisers were also cited but because the advertiser either withdrew or changed the ads after being advised by the ASC that a complaint had been received, the advertiser or advertisement is not identified. Of all the complaints received, 358 complaints about 256 ads were evaluated by ASC staff. The ASC staff forwarded 107 of those complaints against 84 ads to be evaluated by the Consumers Response Councils or the Advisory Panels on Gender Portrayal. The independent Councils and Panels upheld 76 complaints against 25 ads. "The Ad Complaints Reports inform the public and the advertising community about issues that concern Canadian consumers," Janet Feasby, ASC director of public affairs and communications said. A copy of the 1999 Mid-Year Ad Complaints Report or information about submitting a consumer complaint are available on the ASC's website at <http://www.adstandards.com> or by writing to the ASC's information services. The ASC Ad Complaint Report is published twice a year.