New guidelines for Singapore online marketing and interactive and social media advertising and marketing have been issued.
The guidelines were drafted by the Advertising Standards Authority of Singapore (ASAS), an advisory council to the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case).
ASAS says the guidelines set the standards of ethical conduct to be adopted by all marketers; establish the levels of disclosure needed with sponsored messages; prohibit false reviews and engagement; and dictate the clarity of the purchase process in eCommerce.
Developed in consultation with social-media agencies, public agencies, multinational companies and members of the public, the guidelines will be added to the Singapore Code of Advertising Practice (SCAP) and take effect immediately.
Marketers and media owners will have until September 29 to adhere to the guidelines, a grace period of one month.
As a result of lower barriers to entry, as well as an eagerness for market share in a crowded online marketplace, not all marketing communication has been placed with a view toward responsible advertising to consumers, says ASAS. It received feedback on 91 occasions last year about advertisements seen on the internet and personal mobile devices. This compares to 45 the previous year.
Consumers misled
Consumers have told ASAS they were misled by discounts and rates that were not as attractive as advertised, false depictions of products in pictures or questionable claims about product efficacy.
“Such mischief has the potential to undermine consumers’ perceptions of marketing communication in the digital sphere as a whole,” says ASAS.
Requirements listed in the guidelines include prominent and clear disclosures of commercial relationships and disclaimers.
Paid reviews, testimonials and endorsements need to be clearly indicated, reviews disguised as being from impartial sources are not permitted, and using services and methods to fraudulently boost user engagement is prohibited.
Marketers who fail to comply with the guidelines will be instructed to amend their marketing communication, failing which to withdraw them altogether, to avoid misleading consumers.
Marketers who do not comply with the guidelines risk the withholding of advertising space or time by media owners, as well as the withdrawal of trading privileges from advertising agencies. In the case of bloggers, money may be withheld by their agencies.
In extreme cases, there is the extra sanction of adverse publicity through the publication of details of the outcome of ASAS investigations, and under certain circumstances Case may also take further action under the Consumer Protection (Fair Trading) Act.
ASAS will run a free seminar on October 7 to discuss the guidelines and other issues in social-media marketing.
