ISBA Spearheads Pro-Advertising Initiative
ISBA’s director general, Malcolm Earnshaw, has issued an “urgent call” for the advertising industry to strengthen itself against the threats posed by a rising tide of consumer protection legislation.
Last September ISBA called on businesses, brands and advertisers to “wake up” to the continuing erosion of advertising freedoms (see
He said: “Consumer protection is high on the political agenda. UK businesses have to grapple with 10 new legislative issues a day all of which have a significant impact on the marketing world.”
Brands are currently facing a wave of protectionist anti-advertising legislation, which threatens to restrict advertising to children (see ISBA Defends Advertising Aimed At Toddlers) as well as the promotion of FMCG products, alcohol (see Alcohol Brands To Face Tougher Restrictions) and financial services (see Financial Advertising Shake Up).
Earnshaw said that statutory intervention in these areas was starting to undermine consumer interest and called for a level of proportionality. He said: “Consumers know more about the market place than any legislation can tell them. The real consumer is comfortable with advertising and how it is self-regulated” (see Research Says Life Without Advertising Would Be Dull).
The speech represents the first phase in a major initiative by UK advertisers to increase consumer confidence in the industry by emphasising that brand advertising is fundamentally in the interest of the public.
Earnshaw said: “We must strengthen the argument in favour of advertising and stop shooting ourselves in the foot by over-selling the role of marketing. Brands must support and nurture self-regulation because it puts the consumer in direct touch with the advertiser.”
ISBA: 020 7499 7502 www.isba.org.uk
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