A complaint claiming a Smokefree advertisement displayed on the back of a bus "subliminally" encouraged students to "quit school" has been dismissed by authorities.
The bus was emblazoned with the slogan "discover the best ways to quit for good" as part of the Ministry of Health's Quit Strong campaign. The ad, which directs readers to the ministry's Quit Strong website, also features two young women taking a selfie in front of a mural and a Smokefree logo.
But in a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), a person argued the advertisement has "no place on a school bus".
The complainant claimed that as the bus was operating its school service - and had its 'SCHOOL' sign on the back - the placement of the ad could be misinterpreted as encouraging students to quit school.
"This ad, due to no consideration [of] its placement, has subliminal messaging, suggesting children quit school," the complainant wrote.
"The words SCHOOL are much larger than the tiny Smokefree that the ad is meant to be focused on. This ad has no place on a school bus. It shows what appears to be two teenage girls very happy about the idea of quitting SCHOOL for good [sic]."
After reviewing the complaint, ASA Complaints Board chair Raewyn Anderson ruled there were no grounds for it to proceed.
In her decision, Anderson determined the ad had complied with Rule 2(e) of the Advertising Standards Code, which requires the identity and position of the advertiser to be clear - given the inclusion of the Quit Strong website.
She acknowledged the complainant's concerns, noting that the placement of the advertisement next to the 'SCHOOL' sign was "not ideal" - however, she also countered that the women in the ad appeared "older than school-age".
Anderson said the intention of the advertisement "would be apparent to most consumers" and it contained "sufficient cues" it was promoting a smoking cessation message.
"The Chair said the advertisement had been prepared with a due sense of social responsibility and did not reach the threshold to breach Principle 1, Principle 2 or Rules 1(c) and 2(e) of the Advertising Standards Code," said the ruling.
"The Chair ruled there were no grounds for the complaint to proceed."
But it's not the first time the placement of a Smokefree advertisement on a school bus has prompted concerns about mixed messaging.
In 2012, an ad featuring then-Shortland Street star Ben Mitchell on the back of a school bus appeared to read: "Take action. Take control. Quit [SCHOOL]."
