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UK: Swan Turton LLP eBulletin: ASA Ruling on the Size of Small Print
02/02/2011
In a decision last week the ASA has given guidance on just how visible small print needs to be.
A PlusNet ad on the back of a bus claimed “BROADBAND ONLY £6.49* A
MONTH” linking via an asterisk to small print at the bottom that stated
“Broadband for £6.49 a month if you live in one of our low cost areas,
£12.99 from month 4 otherwise.”
The complainant saw the poster on the back of a bus but was unable to read the small print.
The ASA found the ad to be misleading because the small print was
illegible. They considered that “Small print should be clearly visible
to a normally sighted person reading the marketing communication once
from a reasonable distance and at a reasonable speed.”
Detailed BCAP rules already apply to text in TV commercial supers. These rules can be found here: broadcast guidance and help notes.
Charles Swan
Advertising & Marketing
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