Complaint number: 25/315
Advertiser: The Salvation Army
Advertisement: The Salvation Army Live Television
Date of Decision: 15 December 2025
Outcome: No Further Action

Complaint:
The wording and tone of the request for donations comes across as begging. Vulnerable elderly people could be persuaded to donate more than they can actually afford.

Relevant Codes: Advertising Standards Code – Principle 1, Principle 2, Rule 1 (c) Decency and Offensiveness

Information on Advocacy Advertising
Advocacy advertising is issues-based advertising where the purpose is to express the advertiser’s position on a political, religious, industrial relations, environmental or societal matter or on an issue of public interest or concern, with the intent to influence the choice, opinion, or behaviour of those to whom it is addressed.
It includes election advertisements from political parties, candidates and interest groups, and Government advertising whose principal purpose is to promote the Government’s (or local Government body) view and /or inform changes in public policy and/or educate the public on matters of public health, safety, or wellbeing.

Provided the requirements of Rule 2(e) are met, the Advertising Standards Code is applied to advocacy advertising in a way that takes into account the protections for freedom of expression and opinion in the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act 1990 (BORA). For more information see the Guidance Note on Advocacy Advertising.

Decision: The Complaints Board Chair considered the context, medium and audience of the advertisement, the product or service being advertised and when applicable generally prevailing community standards. The Chair also considered decisions about similar issues or advertising.

The Chair ruled the issue you raised does not reach the threshold to breach the relevant Advertising Standards Authority Codes and we will not be taking any further action.