What we regulate
We deal with most types of ads but not all. If we can’t deal with your complaint ourselves, we will try to help you contact the right body.
And the types of ads we deal with include:
- Magazine and newspaper advertisements
- Radio and TV commercials (not programmes or programme sponsorship)
- Television Shopping Channels
- Posters on legitimate poster sites (not fly posters)
- Leaflets and brochures
- Cinema commercials
- Direct mail (advertising sent through the post and addressed to you personally)
- Door drops and circulars (advertising posted through the letter box without your name on)
- Advertisements on the Internet, including banner and display ads and paid-for (sponsored) search
- Marketing communications on companies’ own websites and in other, non-paid-for space under their own control
- Commercial e-mail and SMS text message ads
- Ads on CD ROMs, DVD and video, and faxes
- We regulate sales promotions, such as special offers, prize draws and competitions wherever they appear.
New online remit
On March 1st 2011, the remit of the ASA was extended significantly to deliver more comprehensive consumer protection online.
For more information on the extended remit, go to New online remit page.
What we don't cover
Sometimes we can't help because the Codes we apply do not cover the type of advertisement or problem complained about.
There are some types of commercial message we don’t deal with.
If your complaint is in our remit, please go and log your complaint with us.