The ten most controversial ads of 2008
Stephen WhitesideWARC Online
The Advertising Standards Authority, the British advertising industry watchdog, received a record 26,433 complaints last year, 9.3% more than the total recorded in 2007.Some 15,556 different ads were brought to the organisation's attention by consumers and companies in the UK, with 2,475 being either changed or withdrawn as a result.
Ads making "misleading claims" were the subject of 12,942 objections, a figure falling to 8,831 for issues relating to "offensiveness," and 2,926 for executions perceived as being in some way "harmful."
Broadcast spots were the subject...