Advertising Standards Bureau - Review of Operations 2013 | Page 18

15 years of operation
Coverage of all mediums

1998

2012

The growth in mediums has been rapid in the past
few years, and the ASB systems keep pace. At
its inception, the self-regulatory Codes covered
only advertising on traditional media (TV, radio,
print, cinema and outdoor) which was shown to
broad national audiences. This is now extended to
digital media (internet, mms, sms), outdoor (from
transport to sports stadiums to sky banners), social
media (YouTube, Facebook,) with everything
from local to national advertisers included in the
self-regulation remit.

In this Code the term advertisement shall mean
matter which is published or broadcast, other than
via internet, direct mail or point of sale, in all of

Advertising or Marketing Communications means
any material which is published or broadcast using
any Medium or any activity which is undertaken by,

The continued expansion of the definition of
advertising and marketing communications
during the past 15 years has also impacted on
ASB responsibilities.
The original AANA Advertiser Code of Ethics did
not include community service announcements,
internet, direct mail or point of sale.
Advertisements were also required to be broadcast
on a national scale.

Australia, or in a substantial section of Australia for
payment or other valuable consideration and which
draws the attention of the public, or a segment of it,
to a product, service, person, organisation or line of
conduct in a manner calculated to promote or oppose
directly or indirectly that product, service, person,
organisation or line of conduct.
An expansion of the remit of the Code in 2006
meant internet, direct mail and point of sale
advertising was included, but still did not include
community service announcements.

or on behalf of an advertiser or marketer, and
•

o
ver which the advertiser or marketer has a
reasonable degree of control, and

•

t
hat draws the attention of the public in a
manner calculated to promote or oppose directly or
indirectly a product, service, person, organisation
or line of conduct, but does not include Excluded
Advertising or Marketing Communications.

2006
In this Code, the term “advertisement” shall mean
matter which is published or broadcast, in all of
Australia or in a substantial section of Australia for
payment or other valuable consideration and which
draws the attention of the public, or a segment of it,
to a product, service, person, organisation or line of

conduct in a manner calculated to promote or oppose
directly or indirectly that product, service, person,
organisation or line of conduct.
The Australian Association of National
Advertisers (AANA) conducted an in depth
review of the Code during 2010 and 2011
resulting in a widening of the definition
of advertising to also include marketing
communications. This expansion of the definition
to advertising and marketing communications
meant all mediums were covered and the term
any activity was added which meant all advertisers
were now required to meet the standards set,
including non-profit, government and other
organisations which traditionally had been treated
as community services.

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Advertising Standards Bureau