Rulings (26)
  • Alzheimer's Society

    • Not Upheld
    • 05 June 2024

    Three TV ads and a radio ad for a charity were not irresponsible, did not cause serious or widespread offence, and did not cause unjustifiable distress.

  • John Mills Ltd t/a JML Direct

    • Upheld
    • Television
    • 27 March 2024

    A TV ad for a cleaning tool presented gender stereotypes in a way that was likely to cause harm.

  • OneCompress

    • Upheld
    • Social media (paid ad)
    • 06 March 2024

    Two paid-for Facebook ads for bamboo gloves and socks made medical claims for unlicensed products.

  • GMRD Apps Ltd t/a Impulse Brain Training

    • Upheld
    • Social media (paid ad)
    • 21 February 2024

    A paid-for Facebook ad for a puzzle game app made medical claims without being registered with the MHRA and discouraged people from seeking essential treatment for ADHD.

  • Happyo

    • Upheld
    • Social media (paid ad)
    • 21 February 2024

    A paid-for Facebook ad for a behaviour programme aimed at those with ADHD made medical claims without being registered with the MHRA and discouraged people from seeking essential treatment for a condition where medical supervision should be sought.

  • Lynne McTaggart

    • Upheld
    • Email, Internet (website content)
    • 31 January 2024

    Two marketing emails and a website made misleading claims about alternative medicine treating medical conditions, and discouraged people seeking essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought.

  • Gamehaus Network Technology Co Ltd

    • Upheld
    • App (paid ad)
    • 24 January 2024

    An in-app ad for a mobile game featuring an incestuous relationship, suggesting a child had been sexualised and groomed by an adult and portraying a child in a sexual way was likely to cause serious and widespread offence.

  • Grandbing Technology Co Ltd t/a On Fancy

    • Upheld
    • Internet (website content)
    • 24 January 2024

    A website for an online clothing retailer portrayed a child in a sexual way and was irresponsible.

  • Outsourceful Ltd t/a Outsourceful

    • Upheld
    • Email, Internet (website content)
    • 24 January 2024

    An email and website for a recruitment agency perpetuated harmful racial stereotypes and were likely to cause serious offence.

  • FunPlus International AG t/a Funplus

    • Upheld
    • Game (mobile/app)
    • 17 January 2024

    An in-app ad for a mobile game was likely to cause serious offence by trivialising and condoning sexual assault and sexual violence.

  • GIRLvsCANCER

    • Upheld
    • Poster
    • 10 January 2024

    An outdoor poster that referenced a swear word was likely to cause serious or widespread offence and was inappropriate for an untargeted medium.

  • Howe Tools Ltd

    • Upheld
    • Radio
    • 20 December 2023

    Two radio ads for Howe Tools, a power tool supplier, heard in October on Greatest Hits Radio and Heart Radio: a. In the first radio ad, a voice-over said, “At Howe Tools, we swear by our reliability, which is why we sell quality power tools from only the best brands. And if you don’t believe us you can g...

  • Kentucky Fried Chicken (Great Britain) Ltd t/a KFC

    • Upheld in part
    • 20 December 2023

    An email and two outdoor poster ads for KFC, seen in October and November 2023: a. The email included an image with text that stated “FINALLY F CKIN’ GOOD”. The letters between the “F” and “CKIN’” were covered by chips. Text underneath stated "NOT-SO HUMBLE BRAG. ...

  • Whaleco UK Ltd t/a Temu

    • Upheld
    • Internet (display), App (paid ad)
    • 01 November 2023

    Four display ads and an in-app ad for Temu were sexually graphic and likely to cause widespread offence; sexualised someone who was a child; sexually objectified women; and were inappropriately targeted.

  • Doctor Burgos de la Obra SLP t/a drburgosdelaobra_lipedema

    • Upheld in part
    • Social media (influencer or affiliate ad)
    • 18 October 2023

    Ads on Gabriella Lindley’s YouTube, TikTok and Instagram pages were not obviously identifiable as ads.

  • ThruDark Ltd

    • Upheld
    • Social media (own site)
    • 18 October 2023

    An Instagram post for a clothing brand was irresponsible, offensive and condoned and encouraged violence, particularly against women, as well as glamourising guns and gun violence.

  • MEP LLC t/a O2HyperHealth

    • Upheld
    • Internet (website content), Leaflet
    • 27 September 2023

    A website and leaflet for hyperbaric oxygen therapy discouraged essential treatment for conditions for which medical supervision should be sought.

  • Alibaba.com Singapore E-commerce Private Ltd t/a Alibaba.com

    • Upheld
    • Website (paid ad)
    • 20 September 2023

    A paid-for ad on a newspaper website portrayed a child in a sexualised way and was harmful and socially irresponsible.

  • Viva! t/a Viva!

    • Upheld
    • 06 September 2023

    Two paid-for social media ads for Viva! were irresponsibly targeted and were likely to cause unnecessary distress and serious and widespread offence. 

  • People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Foundation t/a PETA

    • Not upheld
    • Poster
    • 23 August 2023

    A billboard for PETA was unlikely to cause serious or widespread offence and was responsibly targeted.

Informally resolved (1)
  • Pall Mall Medical (Manchester) Ltd t/a Pall Mall Cosmetics

    • 12 June 2024
    • Number of complaints: 1

    Topic: Medical procedures and services