10 February 2009 | Author: Yasmin Sulaiman

IASH unveils more stringent code of conduct for 2009

The Internet Advertising Sales Houses (IASH) has unveiled a new Code of Conduct for 2009, which sees the policing body taking a much tougher approach to online advertising networks in the UK. The new rules, Version 9.1, have been developed through extensive consultation over the last six months with ABCe, the Institute for Practitioners in Advertising (IPA), and the ISBA, will be renewed on a biannual basis.

The latest Code of Conduct aims to ensure that all parties within the ad buying cycle are protected. Its primary change comes in the form of the abolition of IASH Applicant status - only IASH Members and non-Members exist under the new rules. Since ad networks are now either accredited by IASH or not, the process of selecting professional and ethical ad networks is sure to be made easier for online marketers across the country as grey areas are gradually eliminated.

The Code also makes modifications to its inventory and has been split into two documents: the IASH Constitution will now deal with rules of membership, complaints and penalties, while the IASH Code is a set of rules that members must uphold. The latter is particularly important in relation to H2 09 audits carried out by the ABCe, an independent body that provides reports on media performance across print, events and digital platforms.

Julia Smith, senior manager of IASH, said:

"We will continue to evolve the code to reflect the development of our Members and the growth of the industry - a number of changes made to the Code have been in direct response to requests from organisations such as the IPA and feedback from the auditors - ABCe.

"In 2009 we intend to further collaborate with all the relevant parties to promote trust, transparency and clarity within all the work that we do."

A report from Brand Republic backs up Ms Smith's assertion that IASH will make its Code even more stringent as 2009 continues. Richard Sharp, chair of the IASH council, told the site that the organisation hopes to implement a centralised body to deal with the certification of ad networks before the year is out. This is sure to appeal to marketers coordinating display advertising campaigns, as unethical ad networks may jeopardise the integrity of advertisers' brands by placing ads on harmful or illegal websites.

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