In 2010, CAP committed to reviewing the advantages and disadvantages of continuing to regulate marketing communications for causes and ideas after a 2-year pilot period of its online remit extension (ORE). This statement sets out the work carried out during the review and CAP’s decision.
CAP assessed various options against its existing policy objectives, in particular: whether action was proportionate; whether it was targeted where it was needed; and whether it presented risks to the ASA in terms of limits it may have imposed on freedom of speech. The options that it considered against these criteria were the following: maintaining the status quo; restricting its remit; extending its remit; and creating a new Code section for causes and ideas marketing.
After its review, CAP has decided on a paid-for space test to determine whether causes and ideas marketing falls within the ‘offline’ remit of its Code; the online remit will remain the same. This decision will itself be subject to a 12-month review and will take effect from 14 October 2014.