ASC NEWS

ASC Launches New National Public Service Campaign "Truth in
Advertising Matters"

Watch for our recently launched public awareness campaign that presents a simple and clear message: Truth in Advertising Matters. The industry’s commitment to truth in advertising has been communicated through a series of dynamic executions through print, out-of-home, broadcast, and online media. The campaign has been well received and broader reach and exposure of the campaign will be assured through our media partners’ ongoing contributions. We would like to thank all of our media partners for helping us communicate our messaging.

We are also grateful for the generosity of the people from Cossette for donating their time and talent to create this campaign. A full library of the campaign’s collateral can be accessed through our recently created micro-site: adstandards.ca. The ad airing on TV can also be viewed on Youtube.

ASC Welcomes New Director, Membership and Communications

ASC is pleased to announce Tim Peel has joined ASC as Director, Membership and Communications.

Tim previously worked for CCAB, Division of BPA Worldwide where he oversaw the company’s Canadian operations for most of his tenure. He started his career with CCAB in 1999 as Media Auditor, and served as Internal Audit Supervisor, Audit Manager, General Manager, and Vice-President. Throughout his time at CCAB, he worked with media buyers and owners of business publications, consumer magazines, daily and community newspapers, web sites, and flyer distribution services.

Please feel free to contact Tim concerning any membership or communications matters. Tim can be reached by phone at 416-961-6311, extension 241, or by email at tim.peel@adstandards.com.

Tod Maffin’s Presentation on Effective Viral Campaigns Available Online

Tod Maffin, COO and senior strategist at tMedia Strategies and a regular contributor of national technology trends on CBC radio, was the keynote speaker at ASC’s Breakfast Session in Toronto on December 2, 2010. His presentation, "It’s 3 am: Do You Know What Your Brand is Saying Online?" examined social media’s effects on advertising. He highlighted many examples of how companies have used social media, and spoke of their challenges maintaining ethics, standards, and brand integrity in the face of a viral campaign.

One of Tod’s recorded presentations, "How To Build A Killer Campaign" is available through ASC until March 31. In this short presentation, he speaks about the keys to effective viral marketing. You can obtain the link to this presentation by contacting Tim Peel, ASC’s Director, Membership and Communications.

Q4 Complaints Report 2010 Now Available

ASC’s Complaints Report from the last quarter of 2010 is now online. The Report, covering complaints from October through December is available here. Complaints summaries upheld by council since December 1 are available here.

We are pleased to announce ASC’s online Complaints Report can now be queried. Queries can be made for a specific quarter or across a range of quarters, and can be further refined by defining the following: Product/Advertiser Category; Media Type; specifying one or more clauses from The Canadian Code of Advertising Standards; and specifying key words about an advertiser or complaint. ASC’s online Complaints Report can be accessed here.

ASC Releases Advisory on the Meaning of the Phrase "No Contracts"
in Advertising

ASC has heard from some consumers who felt they had been misled by advertising for products and services that appear to be without conditions. They had complained to ASC when certain products and services were advertised as being available on a "No Contract" basis only to find they were asked to agree to significant terms and conditions when making purchases.

In response to this issue, ASC has released its Advisory on the Meaning of the Phrase "No Contracts" in Advertising. The Advisory was developed to ensure advertising for products and services offered on a "No Contract" basis complies with the provisions outlined in ASC’s Canadian Code of Advertising Standards.

ASC’s Advisory on the Meaning of the Phrase "No Contracts" in Advertising can be obtained here.