FINANCIAL ADVERTISERS' ASSOCIATION STANDARDS OF PRACTICE The conduct of the Financial Advertisers' Association and of the members comprising it is governed by the following Standards of Practice: First: To encourage clean and efficient advertising. Second: To discourage the publication by newspapers and periodicals of financial advertising that does not measure up to the highest standards. Third: To develop among financial institutions mutual points of contact which will tend to improve their advertising so that this betterment will become permanent and nation-wide. Fourth: To encourage by advertising the investment through reputable financial institutions of the surplus moneys of the American people. ments. Fifth: To discourage unreliable and unsafe invest Sixth: To make financial institutions realize the value of advertising, and, by co-operation, determine the most effective means of building business, through advertising, in the various departments of a modern financial institution. POSTER ADVERTISING ASSOCIATION Rules for classification and inspection may be obtained. from 307 South Green st., Chicago. Adopted 1914: STANDARDS OF PRACTICE 1. Every poster advertising plant must continue to refuse all misleading, indecent and illegitimate advertising. 2. Every poster advertising plant should refuse all advertising which savors of personal animosity, as ours is strictly an advertising medium. 3. All advertising contracts should be started on date contracted for. 4. Every client should be furnished promptly, upon completion of his display, with a list showing all locations, and plant owners should at all times assist clients to check displays. 5. Every poster advertising plant should be maintained in the best condition possible, both from the standpoint of appearance and stability. 6. All locations for poster display should be selected where the traffic is such that it insures the best circulation for the article advertised. 7. Care should be exercised by every plant owner in the selection of locations so as not to cause friction either with the municipal authorities or the people of the neighborhood. 8. A rule of one high-grade class of service to every advertiser, must be rigidly maintained. 9. Every effort should be made to constantly raise poster advertising copy to the maximum efficiency in policy, ideas and execution. 10. Recognizing the great power of our medium, we should use it for the general good by devoting space to matters of general happiness and welfare. 11. We believe in close association among members of our own branch of advertising, to the end that greater efficiency be attained through the interchange of ideas. 12. We believe in hearty co-operation between the poster advertising interests and all other legitimate branches of publicity. 13. We believe in the solicitation of business on the basis of respect for the value of all other good media. 14. We believe in dissuading the would-be advertiser from starting a campaign when, in our judgment, his product, his facilities, his available funds, or some other factor, makes his success doubtful. RETAIL ADVERTISING DIVISION Of Associated Advertising Clubs. Adopted 1914: STANDARDS OF PRACTICE 1. We Pledge Ourselves to refrain from doing or saying anything which might tend to bring any accepted form of advertising into disrepute. 2. We Pledge Ourselves to a just respect and consideration for competitors, avoiding derogatory statements regarding the merchandise or advertising of others. 3. We Pledge Ourselves to refrain from the use of unqualified statements in advertising copy; such phrases as the 'greatest sale in America", "biggest bargains in New York", "unmatchable values", etc., are to be avoided. 4. We Pledge Ourselves to construe the terms, "Value" and "Worth" to mean the reasonable retail market price the article would bring at the time of the advertisement and to be determined by what the same or similar article is selling for by other merchants at the time of the advertisement. 5. We Pledge Ourselves to construe the term "formerly" to mean the last price to which the merchandise was marked, in our store, previous to the date of publication of the advertisement; and we further pledge ourselves to eliminate the use of the word “originally" as it is conducive to probable misrepresentation. 6. We Pledge Ourselves to construe the term "regularly" to mean the price prevailing in our store, immediately prior to the sale of the specific merchandise advertised, and referring, in all cases, to a temporary reduction. 7. We Pledge Ourselves to an understanding that, when the words "up to", accompanied also, by the maximum value or former price, are used, they shall be accompanied, also, by the minimum value or former price; and that at least 10% of the merchandise so advertised shall be of a value or former price as high as the maximum price quoted. 8. We Pledge Ourselves to refrain from the use of statements of fractional reductions or savings unless these reductions or savings are based upon to-day's "value" or "worth", as these terms are herein defined. 9. We Pledge Ourselves to avoid unqualified comparative prices except when "value" or "worth" are inferred; example $20, $25, and $30 Dresses at $17.50, means $20, $25 and $30 values at $17.50 in accordance with the "value" term as herein defined. 10. We Pledge Ourselves to the use of "special reductions", "specially priced" and similar terms, only when merchandise is being offered at a price less than the regular or prevailing price in our store. 11. We Pledge Ourselves to state that, when merchandise from regular stock is included in a Special Purchase Sale, the fact shall be so advertised. 12. We Pledge Ourselves to avoid "never before", "elsewhere", and similar terms which cannot be proved. 13. We Pledge Ourselves to avoid the use of the term "made to sell at", inasmuch as it lends itself to abuse and misrepresentation. 14. We Pledge Ourselves to refrain from advertising articles as given away "free" unless the articles so advertised can be obtained without any obligation either in purchasing other merchandise or by performing a service. as 15. We Pledge Ourselves to use such terms "sample", "clearance", "remnants", "special purchase", "marked down", "reduced", etc., only when expressing exact facts. 16. We Pledge Ourselves to advertise "seconds", "factory rejects", "sub-standards", etc., in a manner so prominent that it will be clearly indicated to the reader that such merchandise is not first quality. 17. We Pledge Ourselves to discourage the use of trade names that, of themselves, are misleading. 18. We Pledge Ourselves to a careful use of trade names of fabrics consisting of fibre, silk and cotton, silk and wool, wool and cotton, etc., qualifying these terms to indicate the materials involved. 19. We Pledge Ourselves to maintain names which, through popular usage, have come to mean the names of fabrics of particular content, such as Pongee, Taffeta, Cashmere, Wool, Linen, etc. 20. We Pledge Ourselves to the use of branded names only when they shall be applied to articles made by the legal owners of such brands. 21. We Pledge Ourselves to a clear and honest description of finishes, materials, workmanship, quantities, sizes, dimensions, and colors, so as to avoid any possible deception or misrepresentation. 22. We Pledge Ourselves to avoid the use of illustrations which mislead regarding size, quality or appearance of merchandise advertised. 23. We Pledge Ourselves to govern advertising on store signs, window cards, etc., with the same strict supervision that we have pledged ourselves to apply to newspaper and other forms of advertising. 24. We Pledge Ourselves to influence sales-people to an observance of truth in selling that shall be in accord with our principles of "Truth in Advertising". ADVERTISING AGENCIES AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ADVERTISING See also Guild of Free Lance Artists, under Art. UNETHICAL PRACTICES (a) Speculative preparation of plans, copy, or art work in the solicitation of business. (b) Placing of men in the service of the advertiser at the agency's expense, or assuming all or a part of the salary of a man already employed by the advertiser. (c) The hiring of a man from an agency or any other source because of his control or personal influence over a prospective account. (d) The paying of any remuneration to a third party as a means of securing or holding an account. (e) The taking of profit, discount or commission, other than that agreed upon, without the knowledge of the client, from a third party for services or material for the client. (f) The offering or granting of extension of credit or banking service as a part of the agency's function. (g) The practice of indiscriminately attempting to secure free publicity for advertisers. This is not meant to cover publicity which has legitimate news, educational or editorial value. |