Congratulations! It’s our most offensive year yet. Our standards are as fabulously low as they have ever been, and the public is outraged. Seems like we’re finally getting things right.

According to Advertising Standards Canada’s 2000 Ad Complaints Report, 1143 angry consumers complained about 815 advertisements, the majority of which were television commercials. And that’s a new record. Well done.

Assuming only a small percentage of outraged consumers actually know of, and communicate with, the ASC (the advertising industry’s self-regulatory body), it follows that our community’s work has ticked off many more. Talk about ‘cutting through.’

There’s nothing like a complaint to justify an advertiser’s effort. Not only did you reach the consumer, you stayed with them – probably sparking debate and even lively discussions of the products. No question, controversy sells.

Remember, not only agencies contribute to a spot’s overall offensiveness, or lack thereof. Agencies supply the creative, but prodcos can build innuendo through direction, casting, and shot selection: ‘Maybe we can make this grosser…’, or ‘Just hold one more second on those bouncing…’. Sound familiar?

The ASC’s director of communications, Janet Feasby, says in an ASC release that the subject of the complaints (take note and use these next time), ‘reflect concerns about broad societal issues.’ More specifically, the three main themes emerging from this report include: concerns about depictions of violence; sexually themed advertising appearing in family-oriented mainstream media; and perceived inappropriate messaging – that is, ‘a lack of respect for societal standards and values.’

This is TV advertising. What standards? What values? We’re here to sell.

And we’re not so bad. Only ‘16% of these complaints were upheld under the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards or Gender Portrayal Guidelines.’ That means that at least 84% of the outrage was deemed unfounded. Keep in mind that 100% of those who complained had their buttons pushed. And that means we’re doing our job.

Regionally, Ontario is number one in anger, accounting for 34% of all complaining. Thirty per cent of the angry communiques originated in Quebec while B.C. and Alberta followed behind with 16 and 11 per cent respectively.

And some say our country has a reputation for nonchalance.

To avoid complaints (not as good for trade papers), let’s take a look at the product categories that draw the most consumer venom. Number one on the list is the ‘food category’ racking up 137 complaints, followed closely by ‘alcoholic beverages’ with 100 complaints. The ‘retail’ category was next, encompassing both brick-and-mortar and e-commerce retailers and driving 87 people to pen letters of outrage.

With complaint numbers at record levels and going up, we can take solace in the fact that people do watch the commercials we produce. We are drawing a reaction and planting product in people’s psyches – and there’s no reason to complain about that.

DAVE LAZAR, Staff Writer