SELF-REGULATION

The AANA and Self-Regulation: it pays to opt in

  1. You can be a driver. The AANA’s Public and Regulatory Affairs Committee (PRAC) brings together Australia’s top corporate affairs professionals. Join to help develop our Self-Regulatory system and promote a unified voice for brands to federal and state governments, while building your own networks.
  2. You can upskill. AANA members have access to free training for marketing, legal and public/regulatory affairs teams. In those sessions, we highlight current best practice both in Australia and across the globe and key issues to consider when creating advertising, marketing and public relations communications.
  3. You get free ad advice. The AANA offers members free assessment of upcoming advertising campaigns against AANA Codes, taking into account previous decisions by the Ad Standards Community Panel, saving potential costs and helping prevent damage to your brand.
  4. You stay informed. The AANA’s regulatory team keeps you abreast of national and international developments in the advertising regulatory space with regular insights and exclusive member updates.
  5. You’re represented. The AANA has a comprehensive government relations program to defend the advertising Self-Regulatory system and represent members in dealings with state and federal governments.

 

How we formulate policy

The AANA Public and Regulatory Affairs Committee brings together Australia’s top corporate affairs and legal professionals to evolve the AANA’s gold star self-regulatory system and formulate key policy issues. Through this Committee the AANA promotes a unified voice for brands to Federal and State Governments. A seat at the table of AANA’s Public and Regulatory Affairs Committee provides members with the opportunity to inform and influence industry policy.

THE ADVERTISING LEVY

What is the Advertising levy

The advertising industry’s self-regulatory system is funded by a levy on advertising spend, collected by media agencies.  The levy is set as 0.05% on gross media expenditure. That’s just $500 for every $1 million spent. The levy is applied to the gross media cost of all advertising communications, regardless of the media type.

The levy pays for the industry’s self-regulatory system run by the AANA and Ad Standards.  The AANA writes the standards for advertising in collaboration with industry. Ad Standards independently adjudicates and resolves community complaints against those standards.

Why do we need a self-regulatory system for advertising?

The rationale for self-regulation is that it is a more efficient and effective system than either government regulation or no regulation at all. Ultimately, advertisers who believe in socially responsible advertising should be operating in accordance with prevailing community standards.

Australia’s advertising industry’s self-regulatory system has been operating since 1997. It’s a system that operates to the highest governance and integrity standards, delivering for all in the marketing eco-system and for the Australian community. This system includes adjudication of complaints from members of the public by members of the public, not bureaucrats or politicians.

Our right to self-regulate is conditional upon us maintaining a world-class and well-respected system that provides appropriate funding for Code development and complaints-handling.

Why should advertisers pay the self-regulation levy?

As an advertiser, support of the self-regulation system through the payment of a levy is critical to ensure the advertising industry can continue to administer a national system of self-regulation and to provide assurance that the general standards of advertising are in line with community values. All participants in this industry benefit from advertisers paying the levy to fund self-regulation.

What is the levy used for and who decides how the levy is spent?

The levy is used to fund the advertising self-regulatory system costs incurred by Ad Standards and the AANA. These include the costs of complaints handling carried out through Ad Standards and advertising code development by the AANA.

Do you have more questions about the levy and how to contribute?

Please contact AANA at 02 9221 8088 or via email levy@aana.com.au. Levy forms are available here:  [hyperlinks] Remittance Form & Levy Authorisation form.

HOW WE COLLABORATE

AANA collaborates with associations and regulators to further the collective interests of the advertising and marketing industry. Together we seek to champion the interests of our members and provide unified messaging to Government and other stakeholders.

  • ADMA
    The AANA and ADMA along with the IAB jointly delivered Guidelines for Online Behavioral Advertising. AANA, ADMA and IAB continue to work together on this important initiative to ensure the consumer have access to a transparent system to exercise choice in relation to OBA.
  • ANZA
    Ensuring harmony in self-regulation across Australia and New Zealand is key to AANA and ANZA. We have many members in common and together we ensure consistency in messaging to key stakeholders on both sides of the Tasman.
  • AUSTRALIAN FOOD & GROCERY COUNCIL (AFGC)
    AFGC and AANA jointly developed the Responsible Children’s Marketing Initiative (RCMI) and the Quick Service Restaurant Initiative. The two associations work side by side to ensure consistency in approach across the entire self-regulatory system and present a united front with Government and other stakeholders.
  • BREWERS ASSOCIATION
    AANA and the Brewers Association, together provide robust profiling of the benefits of self-regulation and the industry’s commitment to responsible marketing of alcohol. AANA and the Brewers Association present a unified voice to Government and other stakeholders about alcohol advertising.
  • ADVERTISING COUNCIL AUSTRALIA
    The AANA and Advertising Council Australia come together around issues relevant to the advertising and marketing profession. The Advertising Council Australia supports the AANA self-regulatory system and provides training to its members on the Codes and community standards.
  • FREE TV AUSTRALIA, ASTRA AND COMMERCIAL RADIO AUSTRALIA
    AANA works closely with Free TV AustraliaASTRA and Commercial Radio Australia to ensure alignment of our messaging on key issues around advertising and marketing in the broadcast space. AANA and the broadcasters share a common interest in ensuring consumers have access to compelling and interesting content and that community standards are met in all advertising and marketing. AANA works closely with CAD to facilitate advertisements to air which comply with community standards.
  • INTERACTIVE ADVERTISING BUREAU
    The IAB and the AANA have jointly delivered the Native Advertising Principles. IAB and AANA members have a mutual interest in ensuring the responsibility of advertising and marketing in the on line space.
  • MEDIA FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA
    AANA and the MFA have formed a joint Media Forum to to facilitate an open debate, discussion and the exchanging of views and information on media challenges and opportunities faced by Media Communications Agencies and Clients.
  • OUTDOOR MEDIA ASSOCIATION (OMA)
    OMA and AANA work together to promote the AANA self regulatory system and providing appropriate community standards for outdoor media. AANA and OMA have together with the Ad Standards presented strong evidence to a number of Federal and State parliamentary inquiries into outdoor advertising. AANA, OMA and ASB have also delivered training sessions for OMA members on the AANA Codes and community standards application by the ASB.
  • WORLD FEDERATION OF ADVERTISERS
    AANA is a member of the World Federation of Advertisers. Through WFA’s global network, AANA is able to access global best practice and to seek alignment of the AANA self-regulatory system and our messaging with our global counterparts.