Advertising Council adopts new code of conduct

The Advertising Council has updated its code of conduct against degradation and discrimination of persons, which was established in 1980. In doing so, the Advertising Council also took into account the new categories of cases that have been presented in its decision-making practice.

The German Advertising Council (Deutscher Werberat), founded in 1972 by the Central Association of the German Advertising Industry e.V. (ZAW), operates as a dispute resolver between complainants from the public and advertising companies. It has now revised its code of conduct, which was originally established in 1980.

The German Advertising Council takes action when there are breaches of the principles set out in this code of conduct. According to this, discrimination exists when advertising conveys that a person or group of persons is of less value than another. Degradation occurs when persons are injured in their dignity or treated with contempt.

However, the Advertising Council must always observe the balance requirement in its decisions. In particular, the body must weigh in each individual case between permissible exaggeration in advertising and possible breaches, taking into account the perspectives of various groups and addressees.