Chocolates?
LHF – not Lots of Hearts and Flowers, but Less Healthy Foods! The new rules restricting the advertising of less healthy foods on TV and online came into effect at the beginning of the year. Make sure you know the restrictions before you promote your chocolates and pastries!
Wine?
It might be tempting, but the Code is clear: don’t link alcohol with seduction, sexual activity or success, or suggest it makes people more attractive. Definitely don’t suggest that alcohol can “make you look better naked”! If you’re thinking of offering an incentive to those who might go out for a drink, be careful not to encourage excessive consumption.
A mini-break?
Don’t exaggerate the availability of advertised prices. Even if your price is quoted as ‘up to’ or ‘from’ you need to make sure that a significant proportion of advertised rooms, or bus, train or plane tickets, are available at the price in the ad. Have a look at our guidance on Travel marketing: Availability for more information.
Flowers?
Anything likely to affect someone’s decision to respond to an ad, including limitations on advertised offers should be clear. Geographical restrictions on last minute flower deliveries should be spelt out before the order now button is clicked. See here for full details of the kind of terms and conditions you need to include.
Seduction?
Whether it’s romantic or raunchy, you should take care to ensure that sexual imagery or references do not cause serious or widespread offence. Targeting ads appropriately can really help. But there’s a risk that showing anyone in a state of undress could sexualise or objectify them, particularly if the nudity has no relevance to the advertised product. Keep it mildly suggestive when advertising in untargeted media, and save explicit content – within reason! – for media targeted at adults and take care to avoid harmful gender stereotypes.
Need more advice?
For free, bespoke advice on your non-broadcast advertising you can contact the Copy Advice team. We also offer Advice:am seminars and eLearning modules on some of the topics addressed above.
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