Code of Ethics PRACTICE NOTE | FEBRUARY 2021 Objectives This Practice Note is provided as a guide to interpretation to assist advertisers, their agencies and the community. The interpretations in this Practice Note are based on the AANA’s intent in relation to the Code and relevant determinations of the Ad Standards Community Panel. This Practice Note must be applied by the Ad Standards Community Panel in making its determinations. In the event of any ambiguity the provisions of the Code prevail. The Practice Note may be amended by the AANA from time to time. What does the code apply to? The Code applies to material which draws the The Code does not apply to: attention of the public in a manner calculated • labels and packaging to promote or oppose directly or indirectly a • corporate reports including corporate public product, service, person, organisation or line of affairs messages in press releases and other conduct, and includes: media statements, annual reports, statements • all advertising or marketing communication on matters of public policy under the reasonable control of the • promotions for a broadcaster’s programs advertiser, whether or not a payment or aired on that network (television or radio). other valuable consideration has been involved; For the avoidance of doubt, placing advertising • all advertising or marketing communication and marketing communication online or where any of the potential customers of the publishing it in a digital format does not by itself product, service etc. are physically present mean that the communication is directed to a in Australia and the advertising or particular audience – for example, advertising marketing communication is directed or marketing communication contained on an to those customers; international website will not be considered to • sponsorship announcements such as be directed to Australians unless the material “this program brought to you by . ”; is clearly addressed to Australian consumers. • advertorials and infomercials; Where advertising or marketing communication • community service announcements; are directed to consumers physically present in • user generated content which is Australia, the Code applies to the advertiser or communicated via a site or digital platform marketer who has reasonable control over the over which the marketer has a reasonable communications – for example, in the case of degree of control; and an international campaign this may be a brand • any media, including online and social owner based overseas and not the local entity for media (the Code is technology neutral). the brand, where the local entity does not have reasonable control over the communication. Code of Ethics - Practice Note FEB 2021 2 Two sections of the code Section 1 Competitor Complaints Section 1 is intended to provide a mechanism for The Code is divided into two sections. complainants to resolve disputes between com- The purpose of the two sections is to petitors in an efficient and low-cost way without differentiate between the provisions the need for recourse to the courts. which apply to complaints by competitors (Section 1) and complaints which are brought by consumers (Section 2). Section 2 Consumer Complaints Section 2 is the section for complaints un- der the Code by consumers. Section 1 Competitor Complaints Section 1 reflects the consumer protection principles in theAustralian Consumer Law (part of the Competition and Consumer Act) (ACL). Complaints are made to the Ad Standards Industry Jury: www.adstandards.com.au/process/claimsboardprocess Section 1.2 reflects concepts in theACL in relation to misleading and deceptive conduct. To establish that advertising or marketing communication is not misleading or deceptive an advertiser may be required to provide substantiation of any claims made. This means that an advertiser must have a reasonable basis for their claims. Substantiation may be in the form of tests, studies or expert reports depending on the type of claim made. The Ad Standards Industry Jury will consider whether the information most likely to be taken from the advertisement or marketing communication by an average consumer in the target market would be reasonably regarded as truthful and honest. The Industry Jury will consider the advertiser’s stated intention, but may also consider, regardless of stated intent, that an advertisement is by design misleading or deceptive. Code of Ethics - Practice Note FEB 2021 3 Section 2 Consumer Complaints Section 2 of the Code provides the self- Panel, the AANA’s intent in developing this regulatory rules around portrayal of people, Code and any relevant research of the AANA violence, treatment of sex, sexuality and nudity, or Ad Standards. There is no one test of appropriate language, health, safety and Prevailing Community Standards. The Prevailing distinguishability in advertising. Community Standard will differ in relation to health and safety, nudity, language, violence The AANA Codes apply to advertising and and portrayal of people. marketing communication where two key criteria are met: Relevant audience is applicable to the • Does the marketer have a reasonable restrictions on treatment of sex, sexuality and degree of control over the material?; and nudity and language. Relevant audience is • Does the material draw the attention of the informed by the content of the advertising or public in a manner calculated to promote marketing communication as well as other the product or service? material that may be provided by the advertiser including classification material, audience Material may originate to provide information measurement data and the media placement to stakeholder groups such as media, investors plan, to determine the audience that the or government and not be covered by the advertiser intends to see the advertising or Codes. However once it is targeted directly marketing communication. at consumers or the public in a way that is The Community Panel will have regard to the calculated to promote a service or product and audience or readership composition data for the in circumstances where the brand owner retains relevant media where this is provided. reasonable control over the material, then the Codes would apply. Contextually targeted In the case of social media, the Community branded content, integrated content, native Panel should have regard to the opt-in nature advertising – that is, material which seeks to of the medium and the age gating which may provide content generated by brands which apply to some social media sites in determining does not look out of place in the habitat within the relevant audience. The Community Panel will which it is being viewed, heard or experienced – consider reasonable members of the relevant is included within the definition of advertising. audience in making its determinations. Prevailing Community Standards apply to For the purposes of advertisements in public all parts of Section 2. This means that the Ad places, the Community Panel will not only take Standards Community Panel will have regard account of the intended audience, but it can to community standards at the time the also take a broad view of the actual audience. advertising or marketing communication was This recognises the broad nature of the audience published. Prevailing Community Standards for advertisements in public places, which may are determined primarily by the Community include Minors. The Community Panel will take Panel, whose members are representative of the that into consideration in determining their community, on a case by case basis, as part of view of whether the advertisement treats sex, the complaints process. sexuality and nudity with sensitivity to that To assist advertisers and complainants, this audience or whether the language used is Practice Note provides some guidance into appropriate for that audience. Prevailing Community Standards. It is influenced in part by previous decisions of the Community Code of Ethics - Practice Note FEB 2021 4 Section 2.1 Discrimination / Vilification Section 2.1 prohibits the The defined attributes are: discrimination or vilification of any individual or group RACE – viewed broadly this term includes colour, descent or of people on the basis of ancestry, ethnicity, nationality, and includes, for example, ideas certain defined attributes. of ethnicity covering people of Jewish or Muslim origin ‘Discrimination’ and ‘vilification’ are defined as: ETHNICITY – those with a common social identity as a result of customs, traditions or belief about historical origins Discrimination unfair or less favourable NATIONALITY – people belonging to a particular nation either by treatment birth, origin or naturalisation. This can change over time so, for example, a person born in the United States who becomes a citizen of Australia by marriage may describe their nationality Vilification as either/both Australian or/and American humiliates, intimidates, incites hatred, contempt GENDER – refer to the attributes, roles, behaviours, activities, or ridicule opportunities or restrictions that society considers appropriate for girls or boys, women or men. Gender is distinct from ‘sex’, which refers to biological differences AGE – based on a person’s actual age (i.e. from the date they were born) and not a person’s biological age (i.e. how old they may appear) SEXUAL ORIENTATION – means a person’s sexual orientation towards: • persons of the same sex; • persons of a different sex; or • persons of the same sex and persons of a different sex RELIGION