Task Force on Code Revision

Co-chair: Oliver Gray, Director-General, European Advertising Standards Alliance, Belgium 
Co-chair: Anders Stenlund, Director,Federation of Swedish Industries, Sweden

The ICC Commission on Marketing and Advertising keeps its Codes under regular review, adjusting them when necessary to meet changing public sensitivities and demand for new technologies.

The Task Force on Code Revision, established in early 2005, was charged with overseeing, updating and streamlining all the ICC advertising Codes as well as with bringing previously separate codes (Sales Promotion, Sponsorship, Direct Marketing, the Use of Electronic Media and the Environment) under the common roof of a single “Consolidated ICC Code for Advertising and Marketing Communication Practice”, which also contains new material ranging from advertising on the Internet to the do's and don'ts of communicating to children.

The task force is courrently working to update the Consolidated ICC Code on Marketing and Advertising, to reflect key changes in the industry. The revision includes changes that reflect new pratice in Sales Promotion, Sponsorship and Direct Marketing as well as an entirely re-done Chapter on Digital Interactive Media that will include the first set of global principles on Interest-based advertising. Evolutions in international policy perspectives on sustainability claims will also be reflected in the updating of the Environmental claims chapter of the Code. The aim is to have the revised Code completed by mid 2011.

The task force follows new marketing issues and trends and assist with the development of position papers, guidelines and other self-regulatory efforts.

 

For more information, please click here.

 

Working Group on Sustainability
Chair - Sheila Millar, Partner, Keller and Heckman, USA

The concept of environmental “sustainability” has generated increasing interest among manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, consumers and policy-makers. As consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about the environment there is a demand for environmental information about the products from consumers, government and industry. Vague, unsubstantiated, confusing or misleading information has the potential to reduce consumer confidence in the market, as well as disadvantaging environmental related business.  

In light of this the ICC Working Group on Sustainability, was established in 2007, with Sheila Millar, Partner, Keller and Heckman, as its chair.  The Working Group was tasked with examining current ICC guidance in relation to sustainability and other claims.  The group’s work resulted in the launch of the ICC Framework for Responsible Environmental Marketing Communications on 26 January 2010 in New York.

Click here to view the Framework

This framework is intended to provide a helpful approach for advertising industry stakeholders to use in developing and analyzing such claims, consistent with general principles of the Consolidated ICC Code of Advertising and Marketing Communication.

For more information, please click here to send an email

 

Working Group on Digital Media
Chair - David Fares, Vice President, News Corporation, New York, USA

Under the leadership of the newly appointed Chair – David Fares, Vice President of News Corporation, the working group has been tasked with the mandate to develop ICC policy perspective on online targeting and advise the Code Revision Task force on potential revisions to the current Consolidated ICC Code with respect to new digital media practice. 

The Working Group on Digital Media will liaise closely with the Data Protection Task Force of EBITT (Electronic Business IT and Telecoms).