Insight

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			May 2008

	Keeping you up-to-date with developments in the non-broadcast advertising codes and the range of resources available to you. Knowing the rules can help you avoid consumer or competitor complaints - and ASA investigation. For any immediate queries, contact us on: 020 7492 2210 Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and speak to one of our advisers. Welcome to Insight Companies wanting to promote themselves, their products or their services as ‘environmentally friendly’, need to be aware of how the ASA will interpret this type of claim and the sort of evidence that is needed to substantiate them. This month our focus is on ‘green’ claims; with links to all of our online advice and a free seminar on 12 June to help marketers with this difficult subject. Just click on the links below to get further advice, register for the seminar, or check that your personal profile is up-to-date to ensure you receive the most relevant communications from us. We hope Insight will help you get the best from the CopyAdvice service. Claire Serle, Copy Advice Manager claires@cap.org.uk Guidance for 'Green' Claims With the increasing attraction of the ‘green pound’, all sorts of products are being marketed on their environmental credentials. CAP and ASA have seen claims for many different ‘green’ products ranging from electricity, houses, paints, cars, clothing, investment trusts, fridges, paper, credit cards, furniture, beauty products and many more. The temptation to over-claim in a market in which consumers will often pay a premium for environmentally friendly products or have more brand loyalty to an ‘ethical’ marketer is enormous and set to increase. In 2007, the number of consumer complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about green claims in ads doubled in comparison with 2006. A claim that is deemed to be misleading by the ASA can result in a campaign having to be changed or withdrawn. With the concerns of marketers in mind, the CopyAdvice team has a set of new AdviceOnline entries on our website to give marketers a helping hand when making ‘green’ claims: Environmental Claims: General Environmental Claims: General 'Green' Claims Environmental Claims: Motoring Environmental Claims: Aviation Environmental Claims: Recycling Environmental Claims: Electricity from Renewable Sources - Domestic energy production Environmental Claims: Electricity from Renewable Sources - Output and emissions claims Environmental Claims: Marketing of Electricity from Renewable Sources: General Whilst it’s not legal advice, it can help ensure compliance with the Code and give you the confidence that your ads are unlikely to breach the Code. You can of course contact the CopyAdvice team to check your campaigns measure up to the Code, or for help finding further guidance online. Contact the team on 020 7492 2210 or e-mail at copyadvice@cap.org.uk What does 'green' mean?: a briefing on environment claims in advertising On Thursday 12 June, CAP will be running a free Advice:am master class to brief marketers on how to comply with the specific requirements of the codes and avoid future trouble with the ASA. Why should you attend? Using lots of examples and case studies from previous ASA rulings, this free seminar will give you an insight into the ASA’s interpretation of ‘green’ claims, including issues such as: • Substantiating your green claims – what sort of evidence do you need? • Promoting the environmental impact of your product or service in ads • Use of absolute claims e.g. “environmentally friendly” or “100% recyclable” • Carbon - advice on off-setting schemes • Emissions and climate change • How to avoid over-claiming • Where to go for further help and advice Download the invitation to this event and register for your free place now. Meet the Copy Advice Team Everyone in my team of six is happy to deal with any question you may have, but we all have special interests in particular areas. In every edition of Insight we introduce an individual member of the CopyAdvice team, so you can direct any specific enquiries to the most appropriate adviser. You can contact the team by phone on 020 7492 2210 or by e-mail at copyadvice@cap.org.uk James Turner James Turner has a degree from Cambridge University in Land Economy and an MSc in Building Surveying. After three years as an investigations executive at the ASA, he has put his background in economics, land and environment to good use as the resident “green” specialist on the Copy Advice team looking at windfarms, carbon offsetting and carbon neutrality. He also specialises in advice on utilities marketing and 0845 NTS numbers You can contact James directly on 020 7492 2166 or email him at jamest@cap.org.uk		CopyAdvice The Codes Advice Online Help Notes Home

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