Advertising Standards Canada

*Non-profit organization

*Mandate is to maintain consumers’ confidence in advertising

*Two divisions

*Canadian code of Advertising Standards handles complaints from special interest groups and consumers.

*The other previews ads, helping advertisers adhere to codes and standards

*These codes are designed to help set and maintain standards of accuracy, fairness, honesty, truth, and appropriateness in advertising.

*They include: (see next slide)

*Advertising to children

*Disguised advertising

*Price claims

*Bait and switch

*Guarantees

*Comparative Advertising

*Testimonials

*Professional or scientific claims

*Imitation

*Safety

*Superstitions and Fears

*Advertising to minors*Unacceptable Depictions and Portrayals

*The purpose of the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children is to serve as a guide for advertisers when preparing commercial messages for children. *Children, especially young children, live in

a world that is sometimes real and sometimes imaginary and sometimes they are unable to distinguish between the two.

*The code encourages advertisers to recognize these special characteristics when advertising to an audience of children.

*Below is a list of codes to abide by when advertising to children: (next slide)

 

*Factual Presentation*product Prohibitions*Avoiding Undue Pressure*Scheduling*Promotion by Program Characters, Advertiser-

Generated Characters and Personal Endorsements*Price and Purchase terms*Comparison Values*Safety*Social Values*Substantiation required*Assessment

*Have you heard of the expression "sex sells"?

* Women, and often parts of women, are used in advertising to help promote, market and sell products (in many ads, the same can be said about men). 

*As young girls grow up, the portrayal of women in media can impact the way they think about themselves and their perception of beauty.

*As you've studied, many ads feature a constructed and false reality, thanks to Photoshop and other trickery. 

*In fact, some celebrities are now insisting that magazines feature honest, unaltered photos of them, hoping to promote a more authentic image.

*Killing us Softly: Media's view of women

• Can this portrayal be changed? If so, how?

• Do you think this will make a difference?• In the following TED video, the presenter argues that

social media can help. • Since women outnumber men in the use of social media

and online activity, she argues that corporations will eventually hire more women in positions of leadership.

http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/johanna_blakley_social_media_and_the_end_of_gender.html 

 

*For fun, you can play around with this Gendered Advertising Remixer to remix "girl" and "boy" ads.

*Do you think these ads promote a gender stereotype or reflect an actual difference between boys and girls?

*Companies work hard to get consumers of all ages to recognize their brands early, and for life. One of the ways people associate with a brand is by a logo. How well can you recognize logos? Do you think they have an influence over what you choose to purchase as a consumer?*The Brand Alphabet*Retail Alphabet Game*Time to go to work!