Complaints against ASB fertility ad not upheld

Complaints about an ASB advertisement promoting loans for fertility treatment have not been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which was split on the issue.

Thirty-nine people complained to the ASA about the television ad, which depicted a couple selling their vintage car, having an unsuccessful fertility treatment, then getting a loan from ASB and having triplets.

Complainants said the ad was offensive, simplistic and exploited vulnerable people seeking IVF treatment.

The ad seemed to imply ASB could solve the problem, which offered people false hope. It encouraged people who were sometimes desperate to take on debt they could not afford and played on the emotional anguish of grieving families, they said.

Complainants also said portraying triplets was unrealistic and that multiple birth was considered a bad practice.

ASB said the ad was part of a wider campaign Creating Futures, which aimed to show how staff relationships with customers helped them achieve their dreams, goals and ambitions.

It reflected feedback from staff who had said providing financial assistance to couples for IVF was a "wonderful expression" of creating futures.

The bank said it was aware this was an emotional topic for many people and had consulted Fertility Associates about the ad.

The majority of feedback about the ad internally and externally had been supportive, it said.

A majority of the ASA complaints board agreed the depiction of the bank offering a loan to people who had exhausted other means was in the spirit of hope and renewed opportunity.

They said like other financial investments there was risk and reward which the ad showed by depicting both successful and unsuccessful IVF outcomes.

But the minority argued the ad exploited a vulnerable group and played on their desperation to have children and could lead people to get into debt they could not afford.

The majority said it was unlikely people would think they would be more likely to have successful IVF treatment if they took out an ASB loan.

"... most of the viewers would understand that the advertiser was promoting a product that could be used to fund IVF, not the success of the treatment, and that viewers would be able to discern the difference."

ASB was entitled to promote the possibility of financial assistance to fund IVF despite the emotive elements, they said.

"Therefore... there had been no omission, ambiguity, or implication in regard to the outcome of IVF."

But the minority argued that depicting the woman having triplets, which was unlikely in New Zealand, made the ad misleading and unrealistic.

By majority the authority ruled not to uphold the complaints.

- NZPA