CAN Launches Ethical Advertising Initiative

The Conscious Advertising Network (CAN) has announced its official launch to take a stand against unethical practice in advertising. CAN’s mission is to stop advertising abuse by highlighting the conscious choices advertisers and agencies can make to ensure good practice.

CAN is a voluntary coalition of over 30 organisations set up to ensure that industry ethics keeps pace with the technology of modern advertising. The launch event, hosted by ISBA, features a host of prominent speakers from supporting organisations:

-    Phil Smith, director general, ISBA

-    Amir Malik, digital marketing expert, Accenture Interactive

-    Carolina Hernandez, office of the high commissioner for human rights, The United Nations

-    Jake Dubbins, co-chair, The Conscious Advertising Network

“We’re delighted with the response and the support we’ve received so far from so many prestigious organisations,'' commented Jake Dubbins, co-founder at CAN. “The advertising industry, from brands and agencies to adtech, is perfectly placed to consciously change both their operations and the content they produce in pursuit of making communications that are better for all.

It is CAN’s ambition to eradicate ad fraud, prevent brands from funding hate speech or deliberately misleading ‘fake news’ and to ensure that people are viewed as active, consensual participants in their own online experience.”

CAN has developed a set of six manifestos, with the aim of getting their principles embedded in every UK agency brief; anti ad-fraud, diversity, informed consent, hate speech, children’s wellbeing and fake news. Organisations such as The NUS, The Body Shop and Merkle | Periscopix are amongst those partnering with CAN to lend their support to the initiative.