Protecting

ISBA works to protect the freedom to advertise responsibly. We believe this freedom is crucial to the quality of life we seek in our society.

As research by the World Federation of Advertisers confirms, advertising helps build strong brands, which support strong businesses, which generate jobs, which boost UK plc. But it is also has intrinsic creative value, forming as it does a significant part of the same creative industries that were described in 2007 by The Work Foundation as “a great, unsung success story”. 

Advertising informs, educates and enriches our daily lives by facilitating brand innovation and funding the majority of programming and choice of media that we, as consumers, enjoy. It follows that without the benefits of responsible advertising this would be a greyer and less prosperous place.

A vocal minority, often under the guise of ‘consumer’ organisations, disputes this view. They want to tell people what adverts they are and are not allowed to see. Government and regulators are increasingly put under pressure to impose restrictions that are unjustified, disproportionate and unworkable. Complex social problems like childhood obesity, binge drinking and climate change will not be cured by quick fix curbs on advertising.