An email alert from the DSA:
From 1 March, the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) will be able to investigate complaints about marketing messages on websites.
This includes what you say on your own website, as well as third-party sites you use, such as Facebook. For example, you need to make sure that you can back up any claims you make about your business. You can find more by reading the Codes and the announcement on the Committee of Advertising Practice website.
If you’re a driving or riding instructor who wants to complain about online advertising, you should contact ASA directly by filling in an online complaints form which is found on their website.
Please don’t contact DSA, as we have no powers to deal with these complaints.
Part of me thinks “about time”. The other part thinks “you’re going to have your work cut out here”.
The change is a general one – it isn’t aimed specifically at driving schools. But I’m sure this very important detail will escape a lot of people. The most interesting part is the third aspect of the scope of the changes:
‘non-paid-for space online under [the advertiser’s] control’: this phrase covers, although not exclusively, advertisements and other marketing communications on advertiser-controlled pages on social networking websites. Social networking websites have a significant consumer reach, are popular with children and young people and play an increasing role in public policy debates.
Some of those ridiculous Google Ads claims I see on this blog will fall foul of that in a second.
This link is also important: Digital Remit Advice. If you run a website, take a look at it.
EDIT 23/2/2011: Hey, it’s started already. Someone pasted the DSA alert on one of the forums, and it took all of four replies before someone decided that every word BSM uses in its advertising is lies. All roads lead to BSM being to blame for everything in ADI-land.