The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) commissioned Res Publica to conduct a ‘gap analysis’ of advertising self-regulation to ensure that the current system meets community expectations and is sustainable. Our analysis resulted in a major overhaul of the Advertising to Children Code and the introduction of a new code specifically to regulate environmental claims in marketing communications.

 

The changes to the Advertising to Children Code – which included a ban on the sexualisation of children, expanding the definition of advertising to capture direct-to-consumer marketing activity (such as websites and sampling) and a ban on ‘pester power’ –   met with widespread and overwhelmingly positive editorial coverage in print, radio and digital outlets throughout the country.

 

Upon completion of the Advertising to Children Review, we embarked on a similar, wide-ranging public consultation process to determine whether a specific Code needed to be developed to regulate ‘green’ claims. We approached approximately 100 environmental, community and other external groups to solicit their input. A detailed report canvassing all views was prepared for the AANA Board together with a recommendation that a Code be developed to address environmental marketing claims.

 

Following the public consultation process and Res Publica’s recommendation, the Board of the AANA announced that it had agreed to the development and implementation of an Environmental Claims Advertising and Marketing Code.