ABG and the need for responsible advertising

It's been a busy couple of weeks. Much of that has been due to the launch of a industry-wide advertising association. The Advertising Business Group, which I and my company are part of, launched this week. The aim is simple - to make the Middle East's ad industry more responsible. How? Through self-regulation and by engaging with consumers.

The ABG is unusual in that it brings together names who wouldn't normally be working together. Our founding members include advertisers such as Mars, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Facebook, Google, Nestlé, Abbott Laboratories, Visa, L’Oréal, Beiersdorf, Emirates NBD and Unilever, agencies including MCN and Omnicom Media Group, and the publisher Choueiri Group. Supported by the Dubai Chamber of Commerce, the International Advertising Association and the ?European Advertising Standards Alliance, these organizations are joining hands for a common cause, namely because responsible advertising is good for consumers, for society, and for the ad industry.

I'd like to quote from a friend and fellow who wrote about the ABG and advertising's responsibility to those we are trying to influence. I hope you agree with these powerful sentiments as much as I do.

The advertising industry is as much a part of the society from which it emerges as any individual marketer or creative. As such it has responsibilities . Just as the industry should both draw from and contribute to the wider culture of the community around it, so it should reflect the wider aspirations of that community. As Brian Elliott, chief executive of Amsterdam Worldwide, once wrote: “Nowhere is it written that advertising has to lower the level of social discourse.”

Brands know what consumers want. They know they want to lead healthier lives and to be kinder to the environment. They also know that dishonesty erodes trust. And that once trust is lost it is almost impossible to regain. What’s more, such dishonesty not only impacts the future of the advertising and marketing industry, it has an immediate and negative impact on the brands and sectors responsible for that dishonesty. 

The ABG will tackle issues head on, subjects such as social influencer advertising, advertising to children, false claims, and the use of consumer data. The ABG will also investigate concerns shared by consumers. The end goal will be to encourage advertisers, agencies and publishers to create ads that are ethical and responsible. I hope that as both consumers and advertising professionals, you will join me in supporting the ABG in its purpose as it works to make every ad in our region a responsible ad.