logo-asa
logo-cap
Sign in / Sign up Menu
  • Home
  • About ASA and CAP
    • People
    • About regulation
    • The work we do
    • Our history
    • National ad campaign
    • Careers
    Our five year strategy

    Our five year strategy

    Discover more about our purpose, ambition and strategy; to make every UK ad a responsible ad.

  • Codes and rulings
    • Advertising codes
    • Rulings
    • Independent reviews
    • Non-compliant advertisers
    • Sanctions
    • Trading Standards referrals
    • Ad Alerts
    • Coronavirus non-compliant online advertisers
    Published rulings

    Published rulings

    Our rulings are a transparent record of our policy on what is and isn’t acceptable in ads.

  • Advice and resources
    • News
    • Resource library
    • Training and events
    • Bespoke Copy Advice
    • CAP eLearning
    • Website audits
    AdviceOnline

    AdviceOnline

    AdviceOnline entries provide guidance on interpreting the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing.

  • Issues and topics
    • Social and political
      • Beliefs and cultural identity
      • Privacy and popular culture
      • Charity, education and Third sector
      • Children and the vulnerable
      • Claims, endorsements and testimonials
      • Gender, sex and relationships
      • Politics and public services
      • Safety and security
    • Lifestyle and living
      • Alcohol
      • Clothing, shoes and jewellery
      • Food, drink and supplements
      • Gambling
      • Holidays, travel and motoring
      • Home and garden
      • Sports, leisure and hobbies
      • Vaping, smoking and drugs
    • Money and legal
      • Financial products and services
      • Legal and regulation
      • Pricing and charges
      • Promotions and competitions
      • Property sales and lettings
      • Recruitment and work
    • Technology and environment
      • Animals and farming
      • Appliances, electronics and machinery
      • Computers, phones and telecoms
      • Delivery, construction and logistics
      • Utilities, energy and environment
    • Health and beauty
      • Beauty products, grooming and hygiene
      • Cosmetic surgery and procedures
      • Health conditions
      • Medical devices
      • Medical procedures and services
      • Medicines, remedies and therapies
      • Weight and slimming
    • Media channel
      • Packaging and point of sale
      • Online, catch-up TV and radio, in-app and in-game
      • Mailings, email, phone/fax and messaging
      • Cinema
      • TV and radio (broadcast only)
      • Poster and other out of home
      • Newspapers, magazines and printed materials
    • Issue
      • Harm/Irresponsibility
      • Offensive
      • Miscellaneous/Other
      • Misleading
      • Copy Advice Issue
      • Harmful
      • No Issue

    Issues and topics

    Helpful information on the advertising rules and examples of previously published ASA rulings based upon topics, issues and media channels.

  • Make a complaint
    • Report a COVID-19 ad
    • Complaints FAQ
    • Report an online scam ad
    • Feedback

Poster and other out of home

It goes without saying ads on posters and billboards and in other outdoor public spaces, should not mislead, harm or offend. But the targeting and placement of these kinds of ads are also particularly important.

The way in which ads are targeted can have a significant bearing on their acceptability under the ad rules. Targeting is especially important when considering matters of taste and decency because the likelihood of an ad causing offence is inextricably linked to the attitudes of the people who see it. 

For example fashion ads featuring semi-nude models may be acceptable in women’s glossy magazines but they wouldn’t be appropriate on posters or billboards in public spaces where they could be viewed by children. 

Advertisers should also be mindful that the unsuitable targeting of ads for certain products is  automatically breaks  the ad rules. For example, no medium with more than 25% of its audience under 18 years of age should be used to advertise an alcoholic drink.

+ Read more - Read less

Add to my favourites

  • Packaging and point of sale
  • Online, catch-up TV and radio, in-app and in-game
  • Mailings, email, phone/fax and messaging
  • Cinema
  • TV and radio (broadcast only)
  • Poster and other out of home
  • Newspapers, magazines and printed materials
  • Home
  • Media channels
  • Poster and other out of home

Latest news

  • Consultation to introduce new rules on the sexual portrayal of under-18s in advertising

    • CAP News
    • 24 November 2016
  • Sexual imagery in outdoor advertising: drawing the line

    • CAP News
    • 19 April 2012
  • Protecting children from sexual imagery in posters: New research

    • ASA News
    • 02 March 2012
View all news

Latest rulings

No ruling found.

logo-cap

Help getting it right

Popular advice

No advice found.

Relevant codes

No code found.

Please login!

Register Login

Please confirm!

Remove

Alert!

logo-asa-small
  •  
  •  
  •  
  •  
logo-cap-small
  •  
  •  
  •  
Contact us

Advertising Standards Authority / Committees of Advertising Practice,
Mid City Place, 71 High Holborn, London, WC1V 6QT

Tel: 020 7492 2222

View directions and map

Useful links

  • Accessibility
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Twitter policy
  • Contact Us
  • Unacceptable contact
  • Careers
  • Transparency
  • Cymru

Copyright © 2021 ASA and CAP

Website by Pixl8

This is a proof of concept to show how we can display a banner, inviting people to sign up to our newsletters.

Testing the banner and a link - www.asa.org.uk/speedclaims/