advertising matters 16.3.18

#timeTo speak out

The AA, in collaboration with NABS and WACL, launched a new initiative on Monday – timeTo – to address the problem of sexual harassment in the advertising and marketing industry.

Building on the global #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, timeTo recognises that all parts of the advertising industry are affected and that, together, industry will be better placed to make positive change to stamp out sexual harassment.

The first timeTo action is to conduct an industry-wide study led by Director of advertising’s think tank Credos, Karen Fraser MBE. The study aims to establish the current level of sexual harassment across the industry and to provide data for future tracking of change.

timeTo will also produce a best-practice Code of Behaviour for all companies to implement. The campaign received wide media coverage, including in Campaign, Marketing Week, Mediatel and The Drum. Take the survey and encourage colleagues to do so too, email us to learn how. Look out for an interview with Karen on the timeTo initiative later today on ITV London Evening News!

A pressing matter for industry

DCMS Secretary of State Matt Hancock announced the formation of a new review to examine the sustainability of the press and high-quality journalism on Monday. Dame Frances Cairncross was named Chair of the review and our Chief Executive Stephen Woodford has been invited to join the panel of ten advisors from industry.

The purpose of the Cairncross review will be to investigate the overall state of the press market, threats to financial sustainability, the role and impact of digital search engines and social media platforms, how content and data flows are operated and managed and the role of digital advertising. Read the full Government press release here.

We respond to report from CRUK

Yesterday, Cancer Research UK issued a report that linked obesity among young people with the amount of HFSS food and drink advertising they have contact with, and called for further restrictions in this area.

The AA responded highlighting research that media restrictions are 12th out of 16 possible interventions in terms of impact on obesity in a cost-effective way. We also said that exposure to HFSS advertising among children has fallen dramatically over recent years, yet the prevalence of obesity among children has continued to rise consistently.

We were firm that such a ban, if implemented, could have damaging implications for the economy and jobs. The report and our response were covered in The Guardian here.

When is an ad really an ad?

Yesterday, the ASA launched the first stage of a project exploring people’s ability to recognise online ads as ads. This forms part of their ongoing work to address concerns among consumers and uncertainty about when and how online content should be labelled as advertising. The ASA has issued a call for evidence to find out more about what types of labels help people to understand when online content is advertising. Get in touch for more at: adlabelling@asa.org.uk.

Getting Distribution Profiles Right (geddit??)

GDPR means you will soon have to opt-in to continue receiving Ad Matters.

The rules are coming into force on 25 May 2018 and will cover how data is stored and managed by organisations to strengthen and unify data protection. As such we are asking all readers of Ad Matters who wish to continue getting it after 25 May to email Matthew.Evans@adassoc.org.uk and copy “Ad Matters – continue” in the subject bar.

No other action will be needed and you will continue to receive our wonderful weekly missive. Those who don’t request to continue receiving Ad Matters will stop getting it in line with the rules.

Feel free to also enter in your funniest acronyms for GDPR to me at the above address. What could it stand for? The funnier and more inventive the better. We feel a prize coming on for the best.

You’ve read the whole thing! You deserve a treat – our ad of the week:

https://youtu.be/oHTklC-eM-0