A Self-Regulatory Framework for Best Practice
The International Chamber of Commerce’s revised Consolidated Code of Advertising and Marketing is an effective and timely guide to best practices in communications. A self-regulatory framework, the Code represents industry’s proactive approach to rapidly-changing developments in marketing technology, tools and techniques.
It sets ethical standards and guidelines for successful self-regulation of marketing and adverstising practices on difficult topics including :
- Online behavioural advertising
- Digital interactive media
- Environmental claims
- Privacy protection
- Marketing to children.
The Code harmonizes best practices and protects consumers by clearly setting out the dos and don’ts for responsible marketing. When implemented and enforced through local, independent self-regulatory organisations, it is an effective means of protecting consumers and ensuring legal, honest, decent and truthful communications. With this Code as a foundation, self-regulatory organizations can readily deal with emerging issues, adapt their own codes to changing circumstances, keep their codes aligned with international approaches and continue their proven success in rectifying corporate marketing misbehaviour.
For governments, the Code provides a solid, cost-effective and flexible starting point for all discussion of marketing best practices and safeguarding consumers. Developed by experts from all sectors of industry and all regions of the world, this globally-relevant Code is deliberately flexible to adapt to different legal backdrops and local needs.
Self-regulation can be a useful complement to laws because it can adapt and respond quickly and inexpensively to new developments and issues. For example, the new Code addresses several issues raised by marketing on the digital interactive media that are more appropriately addressed by self regulation because of the dynamic, global nature of these matters. By supporting the application of this framework through local self-regulatory bodies to hold industry to best practices that have the breadth and flexibility to apply even to constantly evolving technologies and techniques, regulators can focus their resources on halting rogue traders and fraudulent operators..
Code Highlights and Innovations |