Will the AMI challenge Australia’s advertising regulator?
The Advanced Medical Institute, which was ordered to take down its controversial “longer lasting sex” posters in Australia, has now seen a similar setback in the UK. The country’s Advertising Standards Authority has ordered the company to take them down.
In a move which raises questions about the AMI’s future behaviour in Australia, the company has refused to obey the ASA ruling.
In Australia, the AMI has so far complied with the Advertising Standards Bureau’s decision, putting the word “censored” across the posters.
Whereas, the ASB ruling in Australia was on the grounds of taste, the ASA’s ruling was because in the UK the product being promoted is prescription only.
The ASA has said it will go to billboard owners directly if the AMI doesn’t take the poster down.
Update: The ASB in Australia says there has so far never been a case of non-compliance in Australia. CEO Fiona Jolly told Mumbrella: “If it did happen, we’d take it to the Outdoor Media Association who members all subscribe to ASB findings.” The only case where the AMI might be able to keep a poster up would be if the outdoor site was not owned by an OMA member.
Update 2: The AMI in Australia have still not returned calls, but in the UK they have now backed down.
Tim Burrowes founded Mumbrella in 2008. He worked on Mumbrella until 2021. At various points he was editor, content director and editor-at-large.
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Advanced Medical Institute
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Outdoor Media Association
