Marketing Communications

REGULATION OF MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS PRACTICES 577

Figure 16.4 Outcome of complaints received by EASA members, 2010

Source : from Statistics Report 2010: European trends in advertising complaints, copy advice and pre-clearance , European

Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA) (2010).

Advertisers and communications professionals value freedom in marketing communications as a fundamental

principle of a free-market economy. However, responsibility comes with freedom. The Belgian ACC, a professional

organisation of communication agencies, adopted a moral code of conduct that encompasses ten principles of

ethical communications, above and beyond the legal requirements that are laid down in advertising regulations. All

members of the ACC endorse this code. These principles are:

z Marketing communications must not mislead the consumer.

z Marketing communications may not abuse the good faith of the consumer or, particularly in the case of children

and youngsters, their lack of knowledge and experience.

z Marketing communications must be recognisable as such, whatever the medium or the format used. It must also

be clear who the sender is.

z All marketing communications based on facts must be verifiable.

z Marketing communications may not discriminate against or insult people on the basis of race, nationality,

religion, sex, sexual disposition or age.

z Marketing communications must respect people’s privacy.

z ACC members always strive for the best possible advice, without fear or prejudice, and always act in the best

interest of their customers.

z ACC members always honour their commitments to customers, suppliers and employees.

z ACC members respect other professional codes in the industry, such as the ones of the Jury of Ethical Practices

in advertising, the code for sponsoring and advertising on TV and the legal limitations on advertising towards

children.

z ACC members respect each other.

Needless to say, this code of conduct is an ambitious one, and can easily conflict with old habits (such as certain

types of humour in advertising) and emerging practices (such as data mining and product placement and branded

entertainment) in marketing communications.^120

BUSINESS INSIGHT

Code of conduct of the Belgian Association of Communication Companies

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