French advertisers launch responsible marketing commitments

In January, the Association of French Advertisers (UDA) launched FAIRe, a responsible marketing programme to address emerging issues in the advertising industry and the consumers’ increasing demand for privacy, transparency and diversity.

FAIRe aims to bring brands and other stakeholders together in a process of progress and responsibility through fifteen commitments around five themes. It is the first of eight initiatives to be launched as part of #aUDAce2020, UDA’s new action plan to revitalise trust in the advertising industry.

"Responsible marketing is a lever for the development and sustainable growth of businesses, and thus the transformation of France. UDA is proud to contribute by advocating for effectiveness, responsibility and freedom of commercial communication", said Jean-Luc Chetrit, Director General of UDA.

For 2018, the FAIRe programme will focus on the commitment to combat stereotypes in advertising. Through the programme, FAIRe signatories will have to analyse their marketing communications and identify possible recurrences of stereotypes, whether they are derogatory or not, and to take this into account when planning their future campaigns. In 2019, UDA will undertake a review to highlight best practice.

28 UDA members from different sectors have already pledged to the FAIRe commitments: Bel Group, BNP Paribas, CITEO, Citroën, Coca-Cola, Danone, DS, EDF, Ferrero, Galeries Lafayette, Lesieur, L'Oréal, Mars, Michelin, Nespresso, Nestlé, Opel, Orange, Orangina, Pernod Ricard, Peugeot, PMU, Procter & Gamble, Renault, SNCF, Société Générale, Unilever and Yves Rocher.

UDA will provide signatories with standards, guidelines and tools to support them in the implementation of these commitments. The association will also organise expert and peer-to-peer meetings on topics such as the environmental impact of digital. For their part, signatories will have to report on their progress annually and provide evidence of the actions implemented.

FAIRe is supported by Mounir Mahjoubi, Secretary of State to the French Prime Minister, in charge of digital.

For more information, please contact UDA.