A 5DN ad for Coles supermarkets featuring 70s rock band Status Quo has breached commercial radio advertising rules.
Watchdog the ACMA found the four minute promotion, featuring the Quo hit 'Down Down', was presented as music programming.
The ACMA said the Coles ad was not clearly distinguishable as advertising, as required under the Broadcasting Services Standard 2012 and the Commercial Radio Australia Codes of Practice & Guidelines 2011.
The firm had set up a pre-recorded announcement to play before the announcement, but suffered a technical hitch. The ACMA said because the network had corrected the problem, no punitive measures would be taken.
It was the first breach of the 2012 standard, which came into effect 1 May last year. Three other radio stations 2UUS, 3KKZ and 4KQ, were investigated for playing the same ad on the same day. However, because they had clearly distinguished the ad, were given the green light by the regulator.
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