LASTWORD
The last WORD
The right side of the track
The ASA’sMatthewWilson explainswhy you should never violate thewatchdog’s CAP codes
Legal, decent, honest and truthful. These are the central principles of the UK Advertising Codes that have underpinned all advertising for the last 50 years.
given to the FMCG industry about howto keep its advertising on the right side of the rules, and,what is the value is in doing so? The advertising self-regulatory
A
systemis only successful because of the industry’s ongoing commitment to upholding
standards.Monitoring exercises conducted across sectors by our compliance teams reveal that themajority of advertising in the UK sticks to the rules. Adhering to the codes serves a
dual purpose. It promotes consumer trust in advertisingwhich is in turn, good for business. Butwhat are the consequences if
an advertiser gets itwrong? An immediate sanction is to have
MattWilson is spokesman for the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).
an ad that breaks the rules withdrawn and to prevent it from appearing again.We at the ASA know fromspeaking directly to businesses that brand reputation is incredibly important, and an upheld ASA ruling published on our website for the public record can be detrimental to that. Beyond this, if an advertiser is unwilling or unable to cooperate, there are an array of sanctions, such as prohibiting
s the Advertising Standards Authoritymarks its half century,what advice can be
media space or requiring advertisers to have their ads pre- vetted, that we can, if we need to, invoke in order to gain compliance. Our upheld rulings serve as a
useful benchmark not just for the individual advertiser involved but also to anyone as to showhowthe ASAinterprets and applies the code. ‘Prevention is better than cure’
through the provision of advice and training is our preferred approach. The ASA, alongwith the Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), regularly host training seminars.We also cater for businesseswhowant bespoke presentations. Further, CAP keep the industry updated on key regulatory developments and provide guidance and advice through its Copy Advice team. It pays to keep up to datewith
changes to the
rules.Areally significant change to the advertising regulatory landscape that all FMCG operators should be acutely aware of is the extension of theASA’s remit to companies’ ownmarketing claims on their
ownwebsite.Are you confident that the claims youmake about your products and services on your own site complywith the Code? At first glance, getting to grips
with the advertising codes might seem daunting. But sticking to the central principles is an effective way of avoiding running into trouble.Working with the ASA and CAP is not only good for your ads, it’s good for your business.
FMCGNews.co.uk | FMCG News | 49
Matt joined theASA, BCAP/CAP Communications teamin 2004when theASAexpanded in size and remit to take on the challenges of broadcast advertising
regulation.Matt’s role is to communicate and promote advertising self- regulation and the ASA’s role.Every week, theASA decideswhat is and is not acceptable in advertising across a wide range of sectors. As a result, the vast majority of ads that are seen are legal, decent, honest and truthful, according to the authority.
For more information, visit
www.asa.org.uk.
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