BBC, fashion and beer on ASA hit list

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has asked the BBC to take down two posters promoting its digital television services as “new”. The poster campaign shows six photos of a monkey puppet with the tagline “Six new channels for your bunch BBC”.

The advertising watchdog ruled the campaign was misleading because the advertised channels had been available for some time and could not be described as new.

The ASA is also investigating an Armani press advertisement, which shows a young girl wearing Armani Junior jeans, after more than 40 complaints. The complainants say they are concerned about the sexualisation of the child in the photo. She is naked above the waist.

The ASA has also upheld objections to a campaign promoting Coors beer brands, which include Carling and Grolsch. The Food Commission challenged the “healthy” claims made by the brewer.

It complained that the ad was irresponsible because it encouraged people to drink beer to maintain their health and that it also misleadingly implied that beer was a low-calorie drink.

The ASA has asked the advertiser to withdraw the campaign.