Advertising regulator bans Jap Car South ad for racist terminology
The Advertising Standards Authority ruled that Jap Car South's use of the term “Jap” in its branding breaches race-related advertising standards and ordered the ad withdrawn.
Following a complaint, the Advertising Standards Authority determined that Jap Car South’s brand name, featuring the word “Jap,” is likely to provoke serious offence on racial grounds. The company said the term was a shorthand for Japan or Japanese and claimed no prior feedback indicated it was offensive. However, the ASA noted the word’s association with anti-Japanese sentiment dating back to the Second World War and its recognition as a racial slur.
The regulator also found that a stylised sun image in the advertisement amplified the derogatory reference, evoking the defunct Imperial Japanese Army. Jap Car South issued an apology to anyone offended and pledged to avoid such language in future marketing. The ASA ordered the ad removed and warned against repeat offences.
Why it matters
It shows how historic slurs remain regulated in modern advertising, affecting brand naming and marketing practices.
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