Advertising watchdog honoured

BY REBECCA THOMSON - THE WELLINGTONIAN

The Wellingtonian who established the New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority has been rewarded in the New Year honours list.

Glen Wiggs, from Oriental Bay, was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his work in establishing an independent complaints system to deal with false, misleading and offensive advertising.

He set up the Advertising Standards Authority in 1990-91, spent 14 years as its director and developed the Advertising Codes of Practice, which provide the rules by which all advertisers should comply.

A lawyer and marketer, Mr Wiggs was surprised to received the honour, which he learned about on Christmas Day.

"It was very unexpected, quite a surprise."

Mr Wiggs had been working as a marketing consultant for professional services – lawyers, accountants and architects – before being asked to establish an advertising complaints system.

"In 1990, the advertising industry approached me and asked me to establish the ASA, so that was a huge challenge. It used my skills in marketing and law."

Before working in marketing, Mr Wiggs spent 20 years as a lawyer in Wellington. His interest in advertising goes back to childhood – his father worked in the industry.

Mr Wiggs aimed to set up a system that allowed New Zealanders to complain about false, misleading or offensive advertising.

"There had been an organisation before, but it was informal. I restructured it and built it up from a nil base.

"It gives rights to consumers and that's important. Research in the early 1990s showed what consumers wanted was to be heard fairly. Even if they did not win, they were quite happy if their complaint was considered."

When Mr Wiggs established the authority, there were 31 complaints a year. Now, the authority receives more than 800 a year.

The Advertising Standards Authority is self-regulatory and is made up of representatives of the media and advertising industries.

Mr Wiggs said the self-regulated system was very effective. "It's more effective than having a punishment system. A punishment system [where fines, for example, are handed out] is slow and expensive.

"As a result, New Zealand has a very high standard, editorially and with advertising," Mr Wiggs said.

He said advertisers and media outlets would often readily agree to change or withdraw advertisements that had prompted complaints.

Since Mr Wiggs set up the ASA New Zealanders' views have changed. Some things have become more acceptable in advertising, others less so.

"When you come to language, we're a lot more liberal than 20 years ago. The `bugger ad' led the way for that," said Mr Wiggs.

The 1999 Toyota advertisement featured a dog muttering the word "bugger".

The Advertising Standards Authority received 120 individual complaints about the language, along with a petition signed by 145 people.

"Sexiness is a lot more liberal too, but views around violence are much much stricter," said Mr Wigg. "People won't stand for violence [in adverts], whereas in 1990 you could get away with it."

In 2008, an Alcohol Advisory Council television advertisement came under fire for showing a drinking "Uncle Mark" grabbing a young boy and swinging him around the room on an "aeroplane ride".

The authority received 68 complaints about the ad. The advertiser and broadcasters agreed to show it after 8.30pm.

The internet has also brought about changes and Mr Wiggs said complaints about online advertising had increased dramatically.

"When an advertising complaint is upheld, the advertiser is asked to withdraw the ad, including on the internet. There hasn't been an instance yet where anyone's said no."

Mr Wiggs now heads the Foundation for Advertising Research, which provides research, information, advice relating to advertising and other marketing issues.

Particular areas of interest are alcohol advertising, children's advertising, advertising of prescription medicines, food advertising and monitoring and regulation of advertising.