As the radio flicked on at the weekend I was awoken not by the dulcet tones of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake, more popular than ever with the release of Black Swan in the cinemas, but by an advertisement announcing the extension of the digital remit of the ASA (Advertising Standards Agency). The phrase “It’s online, we can say what we like” startled me awake with a jump.
In a bid to inform both consumers and businesses of changes coming into force from 1st March this year, the ASA is running an advertising campaign across all media channels. It is hoped that since the initial announcement back in September 2010, businesses have been proactive enough to address advertisements, advertising messages and other marketing communications on their own website or in other non-paid for space online under their control. The ASA goes further to clarify this statement in confirming these messages must be “directly connected with the supply or transfer of goods, services, opportunities and gifts, or which consist of direct solicitations of donations as part of their own fund-raising activities.”
Essentially, all marketing messages on a company’s website whether B2C or B2B now fall under regulation by the ASA. Even more importantly, marketing messages on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook, where content is under the control of the business, are also subject to ASA regulation.
So. No excuses. It might be online but you can no longer say what you like. Take a look at your company’s website today and make sure you are compliant. From 2008-2009, the ASA rejected approximately 3,500 complaints relating to the content of organisations’ own websites because they fell outside of the CAP code. From the 1st March however these complaints will be taken seriously.
For more information on the ASA and CAP changes visit http://www.cap.org.uk/Media-Centre/2010/Extending-the-Digital-remit-of-the-CAP-Code.aspx
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