task 5b

Who are the ASA?

The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) is the UK’s independent regulator of advertising across all media. Their purpose is to make advertisements in the UK responsible, all adverts will go through the ASA before they proceed into any sort of advertisement. Its role is to regulate the content of advertisements, sales promotions and direct marketing in the UK.

The ASA had up to 57 complaints over the 50 Cent advert which was the reason for them to withdraw the Reebok advert in April. ‘Anti-gun campaigners had protested and said that this could encourage violence’ (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/reebok-advert-starring-50-cent-banned-for-glamorising-guns-491113.html)

Some also had said that this was a way of increasing gun crime as there is enough going on in Britain and they thought it was type of commercial that could influence younger viewers to think that 50 Cents lifestyle was ‘cool’ and the best way to live their lives as a rapper. The ASA also said that the commercial for Reebok Sportswear that highlighted an artist that had been shot nine times was not suitable to be advertised publicly.

Primary audience for this advert would be young teenagers from the age of 14 to a young adult at the age of 25. This would be because, that is a very realistic age bracket for this advert as at that age majority of music audiences would know of 50 Cent and heard his music.

Secondary Audience for this advert would be the ‘hidden’ audience which could be the type of audience that do not know about 50 Cents life or background. However this sort of audience could link and match up with the ones that complained about the advert. This would be because they did not know a lot about the advert but wanted it withdrawn because of personal reasons of ‘violence’.