Advertising Standards Canada (asc) of Toronto reported that it received 598 consumer complaints in 1997, compared to 590 the previous year. National English-language complaints increased 6% from 271 in 1996 to 287 in 1997, while French-language complaints rose from 176 to 229. asc also isolated a number of trends in its report, including increased concern about reverse sexism, increased advertiser sensitivity to consumer opinions, and increased sensitivity of ethnic groups to the way they are portrayed.