CAP (Non-broadcast)
Role
CAP was set up in 1961 in order to regulate all print advertising and prevent the need for time-consuming government legislation. CAP writes and reviews the British Code of Advertising, Sales Promotion and Direct Marketing that all advertisers have to adhere to.
This Code is the industry’s method for ensuring advertisers meet the high level of standards the public demands whilst keeping a level playing field amongst advertisers. The Code broadly covers misleadingness, harm and offence, and breaches of taste and decency.
Members
The Committee of Advertising Practice is a tripartite body made up of the representatives of advertisers, agencies, media owners and other industry groups, all of which are committed to upholding the highest standards in advertising.
CAP members
Advertising Association
Cinema Advertising Association
Data Publishers Association
Direct Marketing Association
Direct Selling Association
Incorporated Society of British Advertisers
Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
Institute of Promotional Marketing
Internet Advertising Bureau
Mail Order Traders Association
Mobile Broadband Group
Mobile Marketing Association
Newspaper Society
Outdoor Advertising Association
Periodical Publishers Association
Proprietary Association of Great Britain
Royal Mail
Scottish Newspaper Society
Clearcast (formerly BACC)
Radio Advertising Clearance Centre
Industry Panels
The ad industry is central to the success of the self-regulatory system and in addition to the bodies who make up CAP and BCAP, the system receives invaluable support though two industry panels:
Sales Promotion and Direct Response Panel (SPDRP)
General Media Panel (GMP)
As the name suggests, the SPDRP concerns itself with sales promotions and direct marketing. It it advises on non-broadcast advertising only.
The GMP’s composition means it can consider both broadcast and non-broadcast matters.
The role of the Panels is to provide industry expert advice on the interpretation and development of the Advertising Codes and a forum for information exchange between the industry and the ASA and CAP Executive. It is often an opportunity for marketers to have industry representatives review an aspect of an investigation and to feed into the decision-making process. Although consideration is given to its recommendations and the Minutes of the meeting will be given to the ASA Council if relevant, the Panel’s opinion is not binding on either the Executive or the ASA Council.
The Panels may be asked to discuss a recommendation before the ASA Executive gives it to Council, specific copy advice, the application of a Code clause, the interpretation of a claim, common industry practice or other general regulatory subjects. The Executive may use the Panels to help draft Help Notes or revisions to the Codes for the consideration of CAP and BCAP. The Panel will almost never consider scientific or highly specialised evidence: it leaves those matters to the experts.
Each Panel is made up of a Chairman, an ASA Council representative, about ten marketing or media practitioners, the Secretary (Director of Advertising Policy and Practice) and an Assistant Secretary (the CAP Compliance Manager for the SPDR and the Copy Advice Manager for the GMP). The Panel is quorate only when it comprises the Chairman or a stand-in Chairman and four other members.
The Chairman of each panel is appointed by the Chairman of CAP and BCAP and usually serves for around three to four years. He or she selects members of the Panel in consultation with the Secretary and they exercise their discretion in rotating members off the Panel to ensure continuity, a balance of representation and an overlap of expertise. The Chairman of the GMP is Farah Ramzan Golant. The Chairman of SPDRP is Philip Circus.
The scope of the Panels’ work is wide-ranging. They have, for example, considered issues of social responsibility in alcohol and gambling ads and also in sales promotions, the independent judging and observing of prize draws and competitions, nutritional claims in food ads, RRPs, online remit for promotions and remit related to affiliate marketing, general and specific Code development matters and the application of the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.