Latest decisions and news from Ad Standards
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Nestlé KitKat | No breach | AANA Code of Ethics
A Nestlé outdoor ad for KitKat raised concerns that it used an inappropriate sexual connotation. The ad featured a QR code linking to a ‘phone break’ game and included the phrase ‘Can you rawdog your commute?'.
The Community Panel noted that the term ‘rawdog’ is now widely used to mean getting through something without distractions or entertainment. The Panel considered that, in the context of the ad, most people would understand the phrase as referring to commuting without checking their phone.
McDonald's | Breach | AANA Food & Beverages Code
A TV campaign for McDonald’s featuring the claim ‘Get Maccas delivered for a 99-cent delivery fee’, raised concerns that the offer was misleading.
The Community Panel considered that the emphasis on the delivery fee could create an impression that 99-cents would be the only additional cost for delivery. However, as delivery orders actually have higher menu prices, the Panel found that customers may not expect these extra costs, making the 99-cent claim misleading.
The ad will be modified.
Cacao Collective | Breach | AANA Food & Beverages Code
A Cacao Collective Instagram ad raised concerns that it made unsupported health claims.
The Community Panel noted that the ad linked the product to health benefits through a scientific study. However, it found there was not enough evidence provided to demonstrate that the study's findings could be directly applied to the product itself.
The advertiser has been asked to modify or remove the ad.
Priceline | No breach | AANA Code of Ethics
A Priceline SMS campaign that included the phrase ‘Girl math’ raised concerns that it reinforced a negative stereotype of women.
While the Community Panel acknowledged that the phrase could be discriminatory in some circumstances, it found that in this ad it referred to smart discount shopping, rather than a negative portrayal of women.
Interested in more?
- Greenpeace – No breach | AANA Environmental Claims Code
- Subway – No breach | AANA Food & Beverages Code
- X-Pole – No breach | AANA Children's Code
- GWM – No breach | FCAI Code
- Pistachio Papi – Breach | AANA Code of Ethics
- Pistachio Papi – Breach | AANA Code of Ethics
- The Firm Gentlemen’s Club – No breach | AANA Code of Ethics
- XCEM AlphaFloor – Breach | AANA Code of Ethics
- Flightrisk – Breach | AANA Code of Ethics
Our latest wave of Community Sentiment Research, conducted by Roy Morgan, provides valuable insights into how Australians view influencer marketing and what they expect from brands and creators.
The key takeaway:
- Disclosure supports reputation: Around three-quarters of Australians said clear disclosure would have a positive or neutral impact on their perceptions of both brands and influencers.
- Non-disclosure damages reputation: Around four in five Australians report a negative perception of brands and influencers when advertising is not clearly disclosed.
Australians continue to hold advertising to high standards, with more than 3,400 complaints lodged with Ad Standards in the first six months of 2026.
Ad Standards Executive Director Greg Wallace said the complaint volumes reflect Australians’ strong expectation that advertising aligns with community standards, with recent community sentiment research finding that one in two (52%) Australians had seen advertising they found offensive or inappropriate in the past three months.
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