Accents

When using or sending up foreign or regional accents in advertisement scenarios, take care not to cause offence by ridiculing the relevant country, region or racial group.


Accountants

Chartered accountants may advertise, subject to an assurance that they comply with the Institute of Chartered Accountants' Advertising Guidelines.

Certified accountants may advertise, subject to an assurance that they comply with the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants' Rules of Professional Conduct.

Management accountants may advertise, subject to an assurance that they comply with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants' Advertising Guidelines. 


Acupuncture - RACC clearance is required.

Script submitters should send to the RACC a list of the clinicians performing the treatment, together with the clinicians' professional qualifications and appropriate bona fides as listed in Rule 4:10 of the BCAP Radio Advertising Standards Code.

Only general claims relating to the relief of pain and stress may be made.


Adoption Services

Adoption and fostering services wishing to advertise must come through either a Local Authority or a fostering or an adoption society approved by the Department of Health.


Adult Shops - RACC clearance is required. 

Adult shops may advertise, subject to evidence of a licence which must be provided to the RACC.

Scripts must not be explicit in content and the RACC will advise careful scheduling to minimise the potential to offend (e.g. away from programmes listened to by under 16s).

Advertisers who offer sexual services (e.g. prostitution or sexual massage) may not advertise and scripts must not state or imply that prostitution or other sexual services are available.

Scripts which refer to the sale or distribution of obscene or restricted material are not acceptable. 'Obscene' material is that which offends against the Obscene Publications Act 1959. 'Restricted' material is that which is permitted only limited distribution by the relevant authorities (e.g. licensed sex shops). 


Age Discrimination

If you want to mention an age restriction in a recruitment advertisement, make sure it is necessary for the job.

An unjustifiable age limit could constitute unlawful discrimination. If in doubt, double-check with the Equal Opportunities Commission on 0845 6015901 or at www.eoc.org.uk.


Alcohol - RACC clearance is required.

Advertising copy - by content, style or tone - must not encourage people to start drinking alcohol or encourage people to drink more alcohol than normal.

Advertisements for alcoholic drinks must not be directed at under 18s or use scenarios which appeal particularly to under 18s.

Advertisements for alcoholic drinks must not be scheduled in programmes directed particularly at under 18s or in religious programmes.

Copy must not include any personality who has a particular appeal to under 18s.
 
All voiceovers must be, and sound to be, at least 25 years of age.

Child voiceovers are unacceptable. A reference to having been a child by an adult voiceover or the use of an adult voiceover mimicking a child  is acceptable, provided that the copy clarifies that the scenario was clearly in the past.

Copy points

Copy must not portray immoderate drinking. References to pub crawls, round buying or an individual drinking more than two drinks are unacceptable. Setting the advertisement scenario in a pub is permissible, provided that there are no references to buying rounds of drinks or the portrayal of irresponsible drinking.

Copy must not portray drinking alcohol at speed.

Copy must not portray regular solitary drinking or drinking alcohol as an essential part of daily routine.

Copy must not imply that drinking is essential to social success or acceptance, that refusal to drink alcohol is a sign of weakness or that a social occasion is successful or made better because of alcohol.

Copy must not imply that drinking alcohol leads to sexual activity or can enhance sexual attractiveness.

Copy must not link the drinking of alcohol with masculinity or bravado, aggressive, irresponsible or anti-social behaviour, mood changes (e.g. from feeling down to feeling happy) or solving personal problems.

Alcohol must not be portrayed as therapeutic, as a stimulant, as a sedative, as a tranquilliser or be linked to illicit drugs. References to 'winding down' or 'relaxing' with an alcoholic drink are unacceptable.

Alcohol must not be portrayed as a source of nourishment/goodness. While advertisements can refer to refreshment after physical performance, they must not suggest that performance can be improved by alcohol.

Copy must not place undue emphasis on a high alcoholic strength or favour a drink because of its higher alcohol content or intoxicating effect.

Copy must not link alcoholic drink with driving or any other dangerous or unsuitable activity.

Sales promotions by alcoholic drink companies which involve multiple or repeat purchase can be advertised, provided that they do not appear to encourage 'excessive consumption'. Promotions should only require a total consumption of the Government-recommended daily limit of three alcohol units multiplied by the number of days of the promotion, e.g. for a three-month promotion, consumers must be asked to buy no more than 279 alcohol units. On average, a half-pint, a spirit or a small glass of wine is one alcohol unit and a 440ml can of beer, lager or cider is approximately two alcohol units. The promotion must not encourage consumers to drink the units all at once and advertisements must not still be running close to the end of the three months so that consumption levels would, effectively, need to rise.

References to 'cut-price drinks' or 'happy hours' are acceptable, provided that the campaign as a whole does not encourage excessive or immoderate drinking (e.g. 'half-price cocktails between 5-7pm' is acceptable but 'Come to X bar and drink as much as you like all night for only 50p a shot' is not). Promotions involving 'free drinks all night' have been rejected.

Copy must not falsely indicate the country of origin of an alcoholic drink. The tag 'brewed in the UK' will be needed in cases where an advertisement for a drink manufactured in the UK nevertheless portrays the drink as being brewed, or originating from, overseas.

Care is needed in the advertising of 'alcopops'. The 'spirit' of the above principles should apply and copy should not appeal particularly to children.

Advertisements for low alcoholic drinks should also follow the above principles, particularly where copy does not state the drink's low alcohol content.


Alternative Medicine/Treatments - RACC clearance is required.

Acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, reflexology, aromatherapy and therapeutic massage may be advertised, subject to evidence of practitioners' professional qualifications and appropriate bona fides as listed in Rule 4:10 of the BCAP Radio Advertising Standards Code. See also "Consumer Advice Services".

Advertisement claims for such therapies must be limited to, for example, 'can help relieve back pain' or 'can help relieve mild stress or tension'.

In the consideration of other alternative therapies, the RACC would seek independent medical advice from its consultant/s on the efficacy and safety of the therapy. For such cases, the RACC needs information arising from clinical trials or published reports in reputable medical journals, not public relations material or consumer testimonials.


Animals, Cruelty to

Cruelty to, or suffering of, animals is a theme to be avoided generally in advertisements. Care is needed with sound effects and scenarios that could be taken to imply cruelty to animals.


Anti-AIDS Messages - RACC clearance is required.

Anti-AIDS messages must only be placed by bodies approved by the relevant Local Health Authority, the Health Development Agency, the Central Office of Information or registered charities.

Careful scheduling is needed to avoid significant numbers of children (under 16s) from hearing the commercial.


Anti-Drugs Messages - RACC clearance is required.

Anti-drugs messages must only be placed by bodies approved by the relevant Local Health Authority, the Health Development Agency, the Central Office of Information or registered charities.

Claims about the effects of a particular drug or drugs in general must be confirmed by the Department of Health's Medical Advisor.

Careful scheduling is needed.

If testimonials are used, an RACC Testimonial Release Form should be submitted.


Appeals to Fear

Advertisements must not play on fear without a justifiable reason and must not exploit the superstitious.

More latitude is given to messages of public health and safety than to commercial messages. If the style and tone urge listeners to do something to help protect themselves from fire, e.g. to fit a smoke alarm, the copy is likely to be acceptable.

However, if the aim of the copy is to frighten listeners into buying a product (e.g. urging listeners to buy a mobile 'phone solely for personal security), the copy is likely to be unacceptable.

It is generally unacceptable for advertisers to appeal to fear through a person's lack of self-esteem.


Architects 

Advertisers should be members of the Royal Institute of British Architects and provide an assurance that they comply with its Code of Conduct.


Aromatherapy - RACC clearance is required.

Details of practitioners' professional qualifications and other suitable bona fides as listed in Rule 4:10 of the BCAP Radio Advertising Standards Code should be provided.

Aromatherapy can be advertised from a beauty/relaxation platform only. No medical or health claims may be made. (See also "Consumer Advice Services").


'Award Winning' and 'Multi-Award Winning'

For advertisers to use the above phrases, clearers must provide evidence to the RACC for the award/s or prize/s given.

References to specific awards should generally be accompanied by an indication of which body is responsible for the award, e.g. 'Business Travel Magazine's Airline of the Year.'