CAP Events in 2006 (09 December 2005)
If you have attended or heard about our events in 2005, you’ll probably want to know what we’ve got planned for 2006 and how you can take part. Click below for the information you need.
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Review of CAP Events in 2005 (09 December 2005)
CAP has been busy running and attending events throughout 2005 explaining to marketing practitioners how to make sure their marketing communications comply with the advertising standards codes. As well as attending outside events, we launched our breakfast training seminar series, Advice:am. We have talked to everyone across the industry, from direct marketers and sales promoters to agencies, broadcasters and magazine publishers. Click below for a round up of a very full year.
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Constraining the youth appeal of alcohol ads (09 December 2005)
Revised rules for the content of alcoholic drink ads are now in force. Do you know what the main changes are? Click below to find out and to read about OFCOM and ASA research.
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Gambling ads to be regulated by the ASA (09 December 2005)
The ASA will regulate both broadcast and non-broadcast gambling advertisements under the Gambling Act 2005. Click below to find out more.
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Advice:am Get the full measure: foolproof advice on the new rules for alcohol advertising (09 December 2005)
On 5 October, CAP and BCAP gave a free briefing to marketers on recent changes to the alcohol advertising rules and guidance.
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CAP trains publishers on rules for health and beauty ads
(09 December 2005)
”Does it seem too good to be true?” That is the question CAP told magazine publishers to pose themselves when they are asked to run a slimming, skin care or hair treatment ad. CAP’s Advice:am seminar on ads in the health and beauty sector, held in conjunction with the PPA, educated a packed audience on how to identify typical problems found with health and beauty ads. Click below to learn how you can spot problems in health and beauty ads.
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CAP finds plenty of slimming ads break the Code (09 December 2005)
It takes an iron will not to succumb to the mountain of chocolates, sweets and puddings at Christmas. Few of us will escape the festive season without piling on a pound or two and, for most of us, the New Year is a desperate merry-go-round of diets and gyms. So, how compliant with the CAP Code are the plethora of slimming ads we see at that time of the year?
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The most important meal of the day (09 December 2005)
We all want our children to be healthy, energetic switched-on individuals and a good way of helping them achieve that is through their diets. Some recent ASA adjudications have highlighted the benefits of certain foods and the perils of ignoring a high fat, salt or sugar content.
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When cascading pricing descends into misleadingness (09 December 2005)
Not many of us can resist a bargain. After all, if that mp3 player was a must have at £299, it would be positively stupid to resist it when it’s been slashed down to £249. Retailers are always keen to ensure we know when they’ve reduced their prices; a problem arises, however, when they become a little too zealous with the savings claims.
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Flashing without getting caught (09 December 2005)
Front-page flashes are in the news again. Click below to read a summary of advice on getting your front-page flashes right and see where to get more flashy advice from CAP.
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Festive advice on trying to sell-out Christmas stock (09 December 2005)
Seasonal tips on avoiding problems with the ASA when promoting Christmas, New Year or, indeed, any bargains.
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Crazy frog spawns changes (08 September 2005)
Only those living on Mars could not have seen or heard the Crazy Frog ad in the last year. The singing amphibian has taken both the mobile download and the music chart worlds by storm. Not everyone, though, has been won over. Many people complained that downloading the tune locked them into an expensive subscription service. Find out how CAP made the advertising of mobile downloads clear to consumers …
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Time, please! (08 September 2005)
CAP and BCAP call time on old alcohol advertising rules: all TV and non-broadcast alcohol advertisements must comply with new rules from 1 October 2005 as grace periods come to an end.
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Stop the call confusion (08 September 2005)
Advertisers quoting 084 or 087 telephone numbers that suggest a ‘local’ or ‘national’ call rate have been told that they need to make the cost of calls to those numbers much clearer to consumers.
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Size does matter (08 September 2005)
If you think the size of text on television advertisements doesn’t matter, think again! What should you do for ads that are made in widescreen form and are not yet likely to be seen on a widescreen TV? BCAP has clarified the rules.
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CAP Regulation Update in Leeds (07 September 2005)
The Committee of Advertising Practice is holding a free afternoon seminar in Leeds on 23 November for advertising and marketing practitioners based in and around West Yorkshire. The seminar is a must for everyone who commissions, creates or publishes marketing communications. For more information, click below.
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Does your ad need a dongle? (07 September 2005)
The CAP and BCAP Codes require ads to give consumers enough information about a prospective purchase before they buy, a requirement that is especially important in many aspects of the fast-moving world of today, in which the high pace of technological change means many consumers aren’t aware of everything needed to take advantage of the latest gizmo. A recent ASA investigation into a complaint about an advertised product that needed you to have a dongle to make it work illustrates some lessons for advertisers. Click below to discover the dongle.
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Indirect promotion of prohibited categories of TV advertising (07 September 2005)
Practitioners who are otherwise familiar with many aspects of the CAP and BCAP Codes are sometimes flummoxed by clause 3.2 of the TV Advertising Standards Code and need some help in understanding what it means. If you think that might include you, click below.
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Two Advice:am seminars in October (07 September 2005)
CAP is running two morning advice seminars in October. One is a morning master class on the new rules and guidance for alcohol advertising. The other is held in conjunction with the Periodical Publishers Association (PPA) and looks at the rules and regulations for the content of magazine advertisements, with a special focus on the health and beauty sector. If you want to avoid problems with the ASA, take advice from CAP and register for our Advice:am seminars now.
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Scheduling your TV advertisements (07 September 2005)
RASA is dead, replaced by RADA and RSA! Confused? It’s nothing to do with the dramatic arts or a certain assurance company. Click here for the explanation for those confusing acronyms and for information about how to find out how TV commercials should be scheduled.
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Food for thought (07 September 2005)
Two consultations that affect food marketers and broadcasters call for responses from all those affected by the Government and industry enquiry into the way the advertising of food can help reduce childhood obesity and raise children’s nutrition standards. One has a deadline of 26 September; we expect the other to start in about two months time. Your responses to those consultations could be vital. Click below for more information.
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CAP rings the changes for telecoms providers (07 September 2005)
Everyone loves a good offer. But when “all” means “only some” and “unlimited” has limitations, consumers can understandably get annoyed. CAP has a quick and easy guide to making telephone advertising clear and easy to understand.
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Tragic events (07 September 2005)
The subjective nature of offence explains why even the most carefully planned campaign can provoke a negative reaction from the public and result in complaints to the ASA. What can be even more difficult to judge or predict, however, is how the public will react to advertising in or around the occurrence of a tragic event. What can the responsible advertiser do to avoid irrevocably damaging its brand equity?
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A day in the life of the Compliance team (07 September 2005)
What, you might ask, do they do all day? The “self” in self-regulation should mean that the industry polices itself to avoid breaking the Code; and by and large it does. But life isn’t quite as easy as that: some advertisers inadvertently break the Code without anyone complaining to the ASA; others, perish the thought, do so deliberately and sometimes the print media take ads that they know they shouldn’t. One thing’s for sure: life’s never dull in the Compliance team. Click below to read how vital Compliance action takes place.
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No "free for all" on Olympic tie-ins (07 September 2005)
Marketers looking to benefit from the London 2012 Games need to know how to tackle the hurdles of using the Olympic symbols and other marks to avoid a false start with their campaigns and possible legal action. Click below for information about the rules for using the Olympic emblems.
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For copy advice at your fingertips, tap into the AdviceOnline database (07 September 2005)
If you are going to do just one thing on the Internet today, try out the AdviceOnline database and find out how easy it is to get advice on lots of common CAP Code problems. Click below for a quick run down on how to make the CAP website work for you.
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Gambling on legality (21 June 2005)
The number of ads for online gambling facilities seems to be stacking up quicker than a croupier’s chips but are they all winners? CAP believes not. Click below to find out more.
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New Alcohol Advertising Rules Launched (09 June 2005)
New rules and guidance for alcohol advertising are launched today. The rules, for non-broadcast advertising, and the guidance, for TV ads, are the first announced since the one-stop shop for advertising regulation was created in November 2004.
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Read all about it! National Press Survey 2004 (08 June 2005)
A National Press survey published by the ASA Compliance team has revealed an encouragingly high 99.3% compliance rate with the CAP Code. The survey was undertaken over a six month period between March and August 2004. The objectives of the survey were to assess compliance rates, ensure that a level-playing field is maintained for marketers and identify problems and bring them to the attention of the ASA or CAP.
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Important information for teleshopping broadcasters (08 June 2005)
Teleshopping claims, just like those in ads in other media, need to be legal, decent, honest and true. That means they should not mislead. An element of hyperbole is perhaps natural in a teleshopping environment but consumers should not be exposed to claims that are untrue or irresponsible. Click below to read how BCAP has been challenging some teleshopping infomercials.
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Leaving on a jet plane - or maybe not (07 June 2005)
Planning to go away this year? Seen an offer that is too good to be true? Well, although it could be true, you might find it was too good to last and now is no longer available. Click below to find out more.
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Don't copy the 'copy cat' ads (07 June 2005)
The ASA has recently ruled on complaints that have objected that children might emulate dangerous or anti-social behaviour depicted in ads. The advertising codes for both broadcast and non-broadcast media cover emulation and the ASA has acted to ensure that ads that break the relevant code no longer have the potential to cause harm to kids.
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Ticket pricing revisited (07 June 2005)
In April 2004 CAP issued a Help Note on Ticket Pricing. After monitoring advertising for entertainment events and consultation with the industry and the OFT, the ASA has re-assessed its position on ticket pricing advertising and CAP has revised its Help Note. Click below to read more.
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Ever faster Internet speeds (07 June 2005)
Even when time isn’t money, everyone wants to get where they’re going faster. Faster life. Faster pace. Faster communications. But claims for faster Internet are not always what they seem. Click below to find out whether the super-highway is a one-way street.
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“Get Up to 60% off at the One-stop shop” (07 June 2005)
A recent ASA adjudication has illustrated some of the lessons for money-off claims, especially those “up to XY% off” price claims that both consumers and promoters often find so confusing but oh so powerful an incentive for the consumer to purchase and for the promoter to clear some stock. Click below to read more.
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The One-stop ASA Shop: how tough it really was on complaints on broadcast ads in the first quarter of 2005 (07 June 2005)
The ASA now publishes adjudications on complaints against broadcast ads weekly whereas Ofcom, the ITC and the Radio Authority published them far less frequently. The resulting more frequent media comment and some high profile adjudications have led some industry observers to believe the ASA is setting out to be tougher than previous broadcast ad regulators. ASA Director General, Christopher Graham, addressed that misconception at the recent Marketing Week TV Conference. Click below to see the figures that set the record straight
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Advice:am Marketing Masterclass (07 June 2005)
On Thursday 19 May, CAP opened its doors bright and early for a spot of ‘Advice:am’, a free presentation to marketing professionals on the rules and regulations for sales promotions. The ‘morning masterclass’ was run in conjunction with the Institute of Sales Promotion (ISP) and offered expert advice to anyone involved in sales promotions.
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Advertising self-regulation gains strength in new EU (09 May 2005)
Self-regulation in advertising is gaining greater importance in the EU’s newest markets, research published this week suggests.
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ASA ruling means change for travel ads (27 April 2005)
CAP has written to travel agents in the UK asking them to make sure that advertisements featuring special travel offers make it explicitly clear that the offers could be extremely limited.
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Sales promotion master class (13 April 2005)
CAP is running a free morning master class on the rules surrounding sales promotions. The event, to be held in London on Thursday 19 May in conjunction with the Institute of Sales Promotion, is now fully booked but you can be added to our waiting list or register your interest in future seminars.
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Alcohol advertising consultation launched (15 March 2005)
The Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) has today launched a consultation on the advertising of alcohol on television and radio.
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Revised Help Note on the marketing of publications (10 March 2005)
Guaranteed to make your ads healthier! – Now available at a CAP Website near you. Hurry while stocks last. Click below to find out how to get your free copy.
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Some words of advice (10 March 2005)
Here at CAP, we’re always emphasising the benefits of the free pre-publication copy advice service we offer advertisers, agencies and publishers. You get one-to-one advice on how to get your ads in line with the rules and reduce the risk of upheld complaints to the ASA. But don’t just take our word for it, find out what some of the CAP Copy Advice team’s regular users have to say. Simply click below.
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Targeting you direct marketing: the International Direct Marketing Fair (10 March 2005)
Experts from both the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) were at the International Direct Marketing Fair 2005 to offer advice and guidance on how direct marketers can ensure their campaigns, both electronic and paper-based, comply with the CAP Code.
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Hanging on the telephone. On and on and on. (10 March 2005)
You’ve got your customer services team trained and your sales staff mobilised. You’ve chosen your contact number and got your phone lines connected. But how do you advertise your 084 or 087 number? It’s not a premium rate line but does the cost of so-called ‘local’ and ‘national’ rates need stating in ads? Click below to read about CAP guidance on advertising 084 and 087 numbers.
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So what do the revised alcohol rules mean? (10 March 2005)
Ofcom’s revised TV advertising rules for alcohol were published last November in response to public concern about growing levels of underage drinking and alcohol abuse. There has never been such major change to an existing set of TV advertising rules before and industry is, naturally, uneasy about how the ASA will interpret them. Click below to read more.
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Tippling is good for you? (10 March 2005)
Should ads for alcoholic drinks make dietary, fitness or health claims? The ASA has recently upheld a complaint about one company’s poster that promoted a ‘low carb’ beer and included a picture of two people jogging but then did not uphold several complaints about the same advertiser’s TV commercial that showed almost 30 seconds of sports training. Find out what’s likely to happen by clicking below.
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Free, unlimited and media-neutral (10 March 2005)
Recent ASA decisions change code policy for frequently made “free” and “unlimited” claims in the telecoms and other industries. The new policy is the same for both broadcast and non-broadcast media, a direct advantage of the new ASA one-stop shop. How do they affect you? Click below to find out.
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Food advertising coming to the boil (10 March 2005)
The Government is worried about the Health of the Nation and the food industry is responding to public concern about food, health and obesity and packaging and advertising claims. What’s happening and how is the ASA shaping up? Click below to find out.
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CAP set criteria for award eligibility (04 March 2005)
The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) has produced a set of rules establishing the criteria marketing communications need to meet to be eligible for industry awards.
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AAC Members announced (10 January 2005)
Elizabeth Filkin, the independent Chair of the Advertising Advisory Committee (AAC), has appointed seven members to act as a panel of “expert consumers” advising the Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) on advertising regulatory policy matters.
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