Advert restrictions

It is important that I am aware of advertising restrictions. I need to know this because I need to ensure everything I put into my adverts is allowed and is safe. Whether it's music, specific shots or a prop. Therefore, looking into the rules for advertising will help prevent me from creating an advert which would be deemed as 'bad' and nor suitable for some viewers. 

The regulation of television advertising

• Currently, there are restrictions on the amount of advertising that any UK television broadcaster is allowed to show on TV channels. These restrictions have been put into place to ensure viewers are not exposed to excessive amounts of advertising, and the quality of the viewing experience is maintained. Therefore, as I cannot advertise my service too much I need to ensure that my advert is high quality and that the audience do not need to see it twice for it to be memorable. 

• The framework that determines the amount of advertising permitted on television is set at a European level by the Audiovisual Media Services (AVMS) Directive. This sets a limit for all channels of 12 minutes on the amount of advertising which may be shown in one hour. The specific rules which apply in the UK are set out in Ofcom's Code on the Scheduling and Amount of Advertising (COSTA).

• The rules which apply in the UK set limits for the commercial public service broadcasters (PSBs) Channel 3, Channel 4, S4C and Channel 5 - and all other commercial broadcasters. For example, there is a limit on the average number of minutes per hour of advertising across the day of 7 minutes an hour (off peak) for PSBs and 9 minutes an hour for all other broadcasters. Again, this means that that advert's cannot be shown to much and the best ones are the ones that audiences do not need to view again as the audience will recognise them straight away despite being an advert on product or service.

• There have been significant changes in how television is distributed and consumed since these rules were first put in place, including the growth of multi-channel TV and the take-up of digital video recorders (DVRs). Ofcom has, therefore, been considering whether there is an ongoing need for UK-specific restrictions on the amount of advertising on television, and whether the current rules are fit for purpose.

• Even if the UK-specific restrictions currently contained within COSTA were to be removed, the amount of advertising would still be restricted by the hourly limit set out in the AVMS Directive.

• Any changes to advertising minutage regulation could have a significant impact on broadcasters, advertisers and viewers. There have been very different views expressed by different stakeholders on the need for, and nature of, any changes.

• January the 2nd, 1971, advertisements featuring cigarettes were banned from TV. This tells me that no cigarettes can be used in my advert nor can they be on screen. Advertisements for alcohol products are allowed, but the consumption of any alcohol product is not allowed in a television advert. Due to me not wanting to advertise alcohol, this will not be a problem for me. "The Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Communications Commission have laid out regulations for television advertising, outlining restrictions on certain products, content, and claims, in addition to mandating minimum technical standards.  Additional content standards are set by individual television broadcast entities to accommodate local laws, community standards, and their particular audience demographic; these broadcast outlets examine each incoming advertisement through a process known as "clearance."

Overall, by researching into the rules and regulations advertisers need to be aware of. I feel that I have a wider understanding of the restrictions. I now understand that timing is an issue, and that I have to ensure my advert is memorable as you cannot replay the advert over and over again. I also understand that smoking and drinking are an issue which is something I am going to try to ignore when creating my advert.

source: Wikipedia, Stakeholders