Advertising Standards Bureau Review of Operations 2015 | Page 28

The Board’s view
Applying the Codes
and Initiatives
When considering complaints about advertising,
the Advertising Standards Board is bound
by a number of Codes and Initiatives. These
Codes include:
•

Australian Association of National
Advertisers (AANA) Code of Ethics

•

AANA Food & Beverages Code

•

ANA Code for Advertising & Marketing
A
Communications to Children

•

FGC Responsible Children’s Marketing
A
Initiative (RCMI) for the Australian Food
and Beverage Industry
FGC Quick Service Restaurant Industry
A
Initiative for Responsible Advertising and
Marketing to Children (QSRI)

•

FCAI Motor Vehicle Code

•

ANA Environmental Claims in Advertising
A
and Marketing Code

Section 2.1 of the Code states:

Advertising or Marketing Communications
shall not portray people or depict material in a
way which discriminates against or vilifies a
person or Section of the community on account of
race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age, sexual
preference, religion, disability, mental illness or
political belief.

It is important for advertisers to note that
depictions of any section of society may raise
concerns of discrimination, especially if groups
are presented in a stereotypical manner. Although
the use of humour and a light-hearted nature in
advertisements has in certain cases lessened the
impact of the overall message, if the Board views
the advertisement as discriminatory against any
group it will breach Section 2.1.

RADIO
EDUCATING
BUSINESS
GOVERNMENT
DETERMINATION
TRANSPORT
BONDING
SELF-REGULATE
INDEPENDENT
BILLBOARDS
PARTNERING
TRANSPORT
AUTHORITY POSTERS
STANDARDS ADVERTISERS BILLBOARDS
TELEVISION COOPERATING ACCOUNTABILITY
MERGING COMMUNICATING SOCIAL MEDIA
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY EDUCATING SELF-REGULATE
LIAISING COMPLAINT DETERMINATION CONSOLIDATING
TRANSPARENCY RADIO COMPLAINT PARTNERING SELF-REGULATE
POSTERS COMMUNITY DETERMINATION OUTDOOR INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
ADVERTISERS RESPONSIVE MEMBERS TELEVISION INITIATIVES ACCOUNTABILITY
ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS INTERNET RELIABLE GOVERNMENT
UNITING REPORTS CONSUMERS COMMUNICATING ACCESSIBLE LIAISING

•

Discrimination or vilification
(Section 2.1, AANA Code
of Ethics)

Australian Association of
National Advertisers (AANA)
Code of Ethics

The majority of cases considered by the
Advertising Standards Board fall under the
AANA Code of Ethics. The Board considers cases
under Section 2 of the Code, which is divided
into six sections:

In 2015 complaints about the issue of
discrimination and vilification dropped
significantly to just 15.76 per cent from 27.61
per cent of complaints in 2014.

Discrimination against a