AANA invites Aussies to help shape the future of advertising standards

While tolerance for strong language remains high among Australians, concern is growing over the use of sexual imagery in advertising.

Next week, the Australian Association of National Advertisers will put this into focus with a public review of the industry’s code of ethics. The AANA is reviewing its code of ethics to ensure it “continues to provide a robust framework” for advertising self-regulation in Australia.

Australian advertisers play an important role in the nation’s economic story, contributing approximately $53 billion to the economy (2.1% of GDP in 2022) and employs more than 153,400 people across Australia.

The code of ethics underpins the industry’s ability to self-regulate and sets the benchmark for legal, decent, honest and truthful marketing across all media. The review will consider alignment with Australian Consumer Law and international best practice, with submissions open until 5pm on Friday, 16 January 2025.

AANA said tone, context and audience are critical in maintaining community trust, and that regular reviews are essential to ensure the code reflects evolving public sentiment. The last review was conducted in 2019, with the current version taking effect in February 2021.

According to a Perceptions of Advertising study, Australians appreciate advertising when it’s creative, memorable and humorous, but they’re quick to judge when it misses the mark.

The study indicated there are growing concerns about content that appears to normalise socially unacceptable behaviours or attitudes, or that feels tone-deaf to current social issues.

While the line around strong language is relatively clear, perceptions of violence and sexual imagery are more subjective, often requiring broader context to assess acceptability.

The study also found strong support for advertising to reflect community standards, with many Australians noting that the ubiquity of advertising means it’s safer to err on the side of caution than risk offence - especially when the audience can’t always be controlled.

The code, which operates independently of government funding, includes a complaints handling process administered by Ad Standards and is supported by all major media owners. Interested parties can make written submissions or engage directly with AANA during the consultation period.

The system, which operates independently of government funding, includes a complaints handling process administered by Ad Standards and is supported by all major media owners. Interested parties can make written submissions or engage directly with AANA during the consultation period.

The discussion paper can be seen here while the current code of ethics can be seen on the AANA's website.