A year ago, the ASA began a review of its core regulatory processes with a view to becoming more effective, efficient, cost-effective and in tune with its stakeholders.  The review’s recommendations have now been published.  They are designed to smooth the complaints’ and investigations’ process for all parties, achieving the correct outcomes with less hassle. 

If one of your ads is the subject of an ASA investigation, the implications for your company can feel burdensome.  You’d rather be planning new marketing campaigns than having to answer a complaint that one of your existing ads is misleading, harmful or offensive.  At such times, it’s all too easy to forget the benefits that self-regulation brings to your business, your sector and the good standing of the advertising industry more generally.  A key benefit is a fast, free-at-the-point-of-delivery, effective and independent complaints handling service, which ensures you and your competitors are held to the same high standards and a level playing field is maintained for the benefit of all.  The ASA’s Process Review has sought to improve this service and here are a few examples how:

  • A raft of recommendations designed to deal with complaints more quickly and to speed up the investigation of cases
  • Where appropriate, more cases will be resolved informally
  • The creation of an ASA, Clearcast and RACC ‘common pool’ of cosmetics’ experts, proposed to be launched in Q4, 2011
  • If an advertiser and the ASA would meaningfully benefit from one, a ‘go-to’ ASA Relationship Manager will be assigned to the advertiser
  • Practical measures designed to ensure consistency, where appropriate with other regulators, and to avoid the potential for double jeopardy
  • Steps to reduce repeated or tit-for-tat competitor complaints

Many of the review’s recommendations have been implemented already and complainants and advertisers are already seeing the benefits of a more efficient and empathetic approach to the ASA’s work.  The remaining recommendations will be delivered soon and the ASA is confident that stakeholders will notice and appreciate the difference.

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