ASA rules against adverts by green campaigners

Tuesday, 25 Mar, 2008 0

Green campaign groups opposed to UK airport expansion have been misleading the public, advertising regulators have ruled.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has upheld complaints that national press ads from environment campaigners AirportWatch and enoughsenough were misleading and should not be repeated.

A full page advertisement in the national press taken out by the two campaign groups featured a picture of Gordon Brown and made claims that were found to have breached the Code of Advertising Practice in two areas (3.1) Substantiation and 7.1 (Truthfulness).

The ASA also found that a claim in the ads that â€˜60% of people in an ICM Poll had said no to airport expansion anywhere in the UK’ was had â€˜misrepresented the results of the surveyâ€™ and were â€˜likely to misleadâ€™.

In a formal adjudication, the ASA went on to say that figures used for aviation emissions were also â€˜likely to misleadâ€™ because they were based on the campaignersâ€™ own emissions calculations rather than official data.

Clive Soley, campaign director of Future Heathrow said: â€œThe adjudication is very serious. It shows that these groups who represent some of the most vocal campaigning organisations against plans for Heathrowâ€™s sustainable expansion, have used polls and data to mislead the public.

“The public should be aware that some of their advertising is misleading and they should look at it with care.â€

By Bev Fearis

below social share icons

Bev

Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.

The Mexico Tourism Board serves as the driving force behind Mexico’s global appeal, orchestrating targeted marketing campaigns to showcase the...

Jet2.com is the UK’s third largest airline, flying from ten UK airports to more than 60 destinations across Europe and beyond....

Air Transat is Canada’s number one leisure airline. It flies to some 60 international destinations in more than 25 countries...

Queensland – where it’s rude not to stare Here in Queensland, there’s plenty to do. But there’s even more to...

Here at Elegant Resorts, luxury travel is in our DNA. True pioneers in the industry, we were the first specialist...

We’re the number one choice for travelers to the Greek Islands and Eastern Mediterranean – a fact we love to...

We understand the importance of personal touch We do things a bit differently at Eventsquid. We know that we could...

Destination British Columbia (Destination BC) is a Provincially funded, industry-led Crown corporation that supports a strong and competitive future for BC’s...

This is Jersey. An island shaped by the sea where some of the most astonishing tides in the world circle...

ABOUT THE PHILIPPINES Mabuhay! Welcome to our archipelago of 7,641 islands where there are endless beaches, lively and fashionable cities,...

Family-owned Olympic Holidays has been arranging holidays to Greece, the Greek islands and Cyprus for more than half century. The company is unrivalled...