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THE Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) says the council has a duty to bring sanity to the Nigerian advertising ecosystem through its regulation rather than strangulate industry players
The Director-General of ARCON, Dr Olalekan Fadolapo, said this while responding to questions at the Advertising Standards Panel (ASP) Stakeholders Forum on Thursday in Lagos.
“We are not regulating to strangulate,” Fadolapo said.
Fadolapo said that since his team had accepted to serve the council, they would continue to explain to stakeholders on how best to carry out the duty of marketing communication.
According to him, violation or infraction is committed at the point of exposure and not at the point of conception.
He expressed gratitude to the National Assembly for making the job of the council lighter through its holistic definition of advertising.
He said that whenever there is a violation of the advertising Act, the advertiser, the agency and the media are guilty.
“If a violation is established, we write you a letter and you are expected to come and discuss with us within seven days,” Fadolapo said.
He noted that after the recommended grace and window required for settlement elapses, the violation is reported to the Advertising Offence Tribunal for adjudication.
“If there is a violation, just come and talk to us for settlement.
“You cannot imagine the level of shenanigans and mischief that is peddled by some violators.
If you have outrageous adverts, we will outrageously arrest you,” Fadolapo said.
The D-G noted that there would have been no need to deploy the full weight of the law if violators submitted themselves to the regulator for discussion and settlement.
He warned that ARCON would not tolerate impunity and illegality from violators.
NAN reports that the Advertising Standards Forum provides a platform for stakeholders to discuss critical issues surrounding ethical advertising practices.
The forum also discusses penalties for engaging in unwholesome advertising activities, and the challenges and benefits of complying with the law. (NAN)
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April 26, 2024
