Complaints about PR led campaigns to be assessed by Ad Standards Board from next year
Gloster
Public relations will now fall under the Advertising Codes of Ethics after The Australian Association of National Advertisers revised its definition of advertising and marketing communication to include relevant direct-to-consumer PR materials.
The revised definition will see material such as social media promotion, blogging and tweeting on behalf of a brand fall under the Codes of Ethics, which act as a guide for how advertisers can and can’t do with their assets.
Changes will come into effect next year and will mean complaints around direct-to-consumer PR led campaigns will be assessed by the Australian Standards Bureau as part of the advertising and marketing industry’s current system of advertising self-regulation.
However, brand owners will not be responsible for any editorial content in traditional or social media which they did not produce or which they could not control.
Sunita Gloster, CEO of the AANA, said in a statement: “Responsible advertisers are already taking the initiative and reviewing their consumer public relations communications against the AANA Codes, as it forms part of their advertising mix. This evolution aligns the AANA Codes with international standards and current practice amongst brand owners.”
Both the Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) and the Public Relations Council have welcomed the move.
PRIA outgoing national president Mike Watson said in a statement: “In addition to specialist communication with traditional publics, such as media, regulators, employees, investors, and so on, this evolution of AANA Codes reflects reality in that PR practitioners are now communicating directly with consumers more than ever before.”
Mel Cullen, chair of the Public Relations Council, said in a statement: “The AANA Codes ensure that when a member of the public has a complaint about marketing communication that is targeted at them, they can make a complaint to the Advertising Standards Bureau, irrespective of whether the material was produced by a public relations, marketing or advertising executive.”
Miranda Ward
Miranda Ward worked for Mumbrella from 2013 to 2017, eventually becoming deputy editor. Miranda joined Mumbrella in September 2013 from Sky News.
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