ASA won't do anything about Change4Life ad
The Advertising Standards Authority, within Her Majesty's domain in the UK, has rejected complaints that the government's Change4Life campaign is misleading or offensive. GI.biz reports that while the ASA did understand the complaints of trade group Tiga and several publishers, it found that the ad didn't "claim that playing computer or console games alone would lead to illness or premature death."
"The Council" at the ASA found that most readers would understand that the ad was simply discouraging a sedentary lifestyle -- yes, but then why not put something else in the boy's hands ... like a book? Of course, if a book was put in the boy's hands to illustrate the point, it might upset the "only" time the ASA can act, which is when something "offends against widely accepted moral, social or cultural standards." Simply stated: games aren't a cultural standard, yet.
