ICAS Global Awards recognise innovative initiatives around advertising self-regulation

The International Council for Advertising Self-Regulation (ICAS) has recognised initiatives led by self-regulatory organisations (SROs) in France, India, the Netherlands, the UK and the US that have contributed to developing a more effective and impactful self-regulatory system.

For this year’s ICAS Global Awards, the winning initiatives highlighted how much advertising self-regulation in several countries has evolved to become more proactive and effective, by using innovative solutions such as artificial intelligence to address the challenges in online advertising. They also demonstrated the significant impact self-regulation can have when SROs partner with key industry stakeholders.

The winners are:

• For Best Awareness-Raising Initiative: The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) launched their Aston scroll which ran across all TV channels and had extensive reach and impact. The initiative was supported by India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and raised awareness about the SRO; 

• For Thought Leadership: ARPP in France, SRC in the Netherlands and ASA in the UK collaborated on a joint initiative to share learnings, best practice and technological tools including software and algorithms to better regulate the growing digital landscape;

• For Best Sectoral Initiative: BBB National Programs in the US through their Direct Selling Self-Regulatory Council (DSSRC) developed an initiative to promote truth and transparency in the direct selling industry, including effective monitoring of the marketplace;

• Special Prize: ASCI in India expanded the Suo Motu ("on its own motion") monitoring of misleading claims in ads across 3,000 digital platforms.

Special recognition was also given to submitted initiatives that champion responsible self-regulatory practices, including AUTOCONTROL in Spain for their awareness campaign supported by the European Commission and ASCI in India for introducing guidelines for real-money online gaming.

The jury for this year’s ICAS Global Awards was chaired by Angela Mills Wade, Executive Director of European Publishers Council (EPC), and included Rui Neves dos Santos, Legal Vice President & Chief Advertising Counsel at Procter & Gamble, Carla Michelotti, Vice-President of the International Advertising Association (IAA), Raelene Martin, Deputy Director – Trade and Investment at the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), and Andrew McCowan, Strategy Director at The Core Agency in Sydney.

Commenting on the awards, jury member Rui Neves dos Santos said: “It was particularly encouraging to observe how SROs are working together to develop new technology to detect and address illicit advertising practices online. As a brand owner, Procter & Gamble has been and remains a strong supporter of SROs, and trusts ICAS and its members across all continents will continue advancing their ability to uphold ethical advertising practices notably online.”

ICAS promotes effective advertising self-regulation globally through its network of 32 SROs and national, regional and international industry associations including WFA.

For more information, contact Sibylle Stanciu-Loeckx.