Most companies sticking to digital marketing rules

A new report by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has found that most companies are adhering to digital marketing rules.

The ASA’s first compliance report into internet advertising found that 97% of 551 digital ads surveyed complied with the non-broadcast advertising code.

Of the 16 ads which appeared to breach the ASA’s self-regulation rules, 10 were in the health & beauty sector.

The ASA said that the “relatively low” compliance rate (72%) of digital ads in the health & beauty sector was a cause for concern, adding that it would be “scrutinising” the sector closely from now on.

The majority of the breaches found by the ad regulator were in email marketing and sponsored search. None of the viral, podcast or mobile marketing ad campaigns looked at by the ASA broke compliance rules.

Christopher Graham, the director general of the ASA, said: “The survey findings should go some way to dispelling the perception that digital is the ‘wild west’ of media.

“Self-regulation clearly works in digital media and where marketing activity is subject to the ASA’s scrutiny, there is a high compliance rate with the rules.”

The ASA’s remit covers paid-for ad space including pop-up and banner ads, marketing emails, sponsored internet search, mobile texts and virals. It does not have any regulatory powers over the advertising and content on companies’ own websites.

ASA: 020 7580 5555 www.asa.org.uk