University of Portsmouth Students’ Union
Advertising And Sponsorship Policy
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Advertising and sponsorship are important to any commercial service. If executed well, they provide funding and can enhance a consumer’s experience by adding to the Unions proposition.
However, if executed badly, it can be a reputational risk and cause future commercial relationships to be put in jeopardy.
1.2 To protect the Union’s reputation and ensure brand integrity and independence is maintained, this policy has been written. This document sets out the types of advertising and sponsorship relationships that are acceptable around the Union’s brand.
2.0 Scope
2.1 This document outlines a policy for the operation of advertising activity at the University of
Portsmouth Students’ Union. The purpose of this policy is to:
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Protect the Union’s reputation
Separate advertising and editorial content
Provide delegated authority from the Union’s Trustees on an operational level to make guided judgements on the appropriateness of advertisers
2.2 It is understood that University of Portsmouth students are considered adults and the Union is here to support their journey whilst studying at the institution. It is also understood that the Union’s guidelines and policies are not to be used as a route to protest but to reinforce the organisational values, enhance the student experience and protect the organisation’s income streams.
3.0 Compliance
3.1 The primary responsibility for ensuring advertising and sponsorship complies with these guidelines, and other regulations, rest with the Business Operations team.
3.2 The Union’s Business Operations team have been delegated authority by the Union’s Board of
Trustees to ensure the policy below is followed, and also to use their own initiative to ensure that the advertising ‘feels right’ for the organisation.
3.3 The Union’s trustees have appointed the Chief Executive as the independent arbitrator should the
Union’s Business Operations team not be able to make a clear decision based on the word of this policy. The Union’s Chief Executive is understood to assume ultimate control for upholding the organisation’s reputation and protecting the organisational brand.
4.0 Principles
4.1 The following principles apply to all advertising and sponsorship arrangements (e.g. in print, online, and physical attributes across campus).
4.2 The central principle for all advertisements is that they should be legal, decent, honest and truthful as recommended by the Advertising Standards Authority. All advertisements should be prepared
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with a sense of responsibility to consumers and society and should reflect the spirit, not merely the letter, of the policy.
4.3 All advertisements must be socially responsible and prepared with a sense of responsibility to
Union members, consumers and to the wider society
4.4 As a charitable organisation it’s important that where possible advertisers positively contribute to the Union’s offer whether that’s in association with our strategic plan, through our values or through our charitable objectives.
5.0 Reputation of the Union
5.1 All advertising and sponsorship relationships must not jeopardise the good reputation of the Union or the value of the Union brand.
5.2 Advertisements should:
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Be suitable for the target audience
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Meet consumer expectations of the Union’s brand
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Not bring the Union into disrepute
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Not give rise to doubts about the Union’s integrity, independence or impartiality of the Union
5.3 To protect the Union’s reputation, the following categories of advertising are prohibited:
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Political advertising and advertising about controversial subjects o This policy does not cover the rights to our student groups to set up political societies o Special dispensation may be made by the Union’s trustees for activity relating to local and national elections as well as political activity that benefits the Union’s charitable objectives o Advertising of lobby groups will rarely be accepted and only when there is no political or lobbying calls to action and no implication of Union endorsement o As a charitable organisation any political advertising carried through the Students’
Union must be compliant with the Lobbying Act 2014
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Religious advertising o The Union does not believe it has the right to commercialise religious or faith groups o The Union also understands that it cannot provide equality of voice amongst these groups
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Advertising for pornography and sexual services o For the benefit of doubt pornography and sexual services relates to sex chat lines, pornography (such as British Board of Film Classification rate R 18 films), escort agencies, sexually explicit publications and websites, and sexual services
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Advertising for tobacco products
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o For the benefit of doubt tobacco products includes any advertisements relating to tobacco products, tobacco manufacturers and smoking accessories (including rolling papers and lighters). This does not include e-cigarettes where addition guidance is provided in section 6.
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Advertising for weapons and gun clubs o This policy does not cover the rights for our student groups to set up societies which may feature weapons such as airsoft, paintball, and country pursuits such as clay pigeon shooting
5.4 Advertising or sponsorship arrangements must not influence the Union’s activities in such a way to impair the responsibility and independents of the Students’ Union.
5.5 All advertising must be clearly presented as commercial content, distinct from Union editorial content. Sponsorship credits must also be distinct from Union funded streams. It must not give the impression that it is Union content or emulate Union activities.
5.6 The nature of the commercial relationship must always be transparent and clear to audiences. It must be clear to our members when they are seeing a commercial message. Surreptitious or subliminal advertising is not allowed. Where content has been sponsored, this must be signalled clearly through use of a sponsorship credit.
5.7 The Union cannot accept advertising from organisations that could damage existing commercial or operational partnerships such as Purple Wednesday or Sporting Facility provision.
5.8 Advertisements that receive a significant amount of negative member feedback or otherwise deemed to violate these rules may be prohibited and removed at any stage. In all cases the Union’s
Chief Executive will have the final decision.
6.0 Specific Restrictions
6.1 To protect the Union’s reputation, the following categories of advertiser or sponsor have specific restrictions or may require referrals.
6.2 Alcohol
6.2.1 Advertisements within the alcohol category must be socially responsible and must contain nothing that is likely to lead people to adopt styles of drinking that are unwise. For example, they should not encourage excessive drinking. Care should be taken not to exploit the young, the immature or those who are mentally or socially vulnerable.
6.2.2 Advertisements within the alcohol category must not:
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Claim or imply that alcohol can enhance confidence or popularity.
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Imply that drinking alcohol is a key component of the success of a personal relationship or social event. The consumption of alcohol may be portrayed as sociable or thirst-quenching.
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Imply that alcohol might be indispensable or take priority in life or that drinking alcohol can overcome boredom, loneliness or other problems.
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Imply that alcohol has therapeutic qualities. Alcohol must not be portrayed as capable of changing mood, physical condition or behaviour or as a source of nourishment. Marketing communications must not imply that alcohol can enhance mental or physical capabilities; for example, by contributing to professional or sporting achievements.
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Link alcohol to illicit drugs.
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Feature alcohol being handled or served irresponsibly.
6.2.3 Drinking alcohol must not be portrayed as a challenge. Advertisements must neither show, imply, encourage or refer to aggression or unruly, irresponsible or anti-social behaviour nor link alcohol with brave, tough or daring people or behaviour.
6.2.4 Advertisements within the alcohol category must neither link alcohol with seduction, sexual activity or sexual success nor imply that alcohol can enhance attractiveness.
6.2.5 Advertisements that include a sales promotion featuring alcohol must not imply, condone or encourage excessive consumption.
6.2.6 Advertisements must not link alcohol with activities or locations in which drinking would be unsafe or unwise such as the use of potentially dangerous machinery or driving.
6.2.7 Advertisements may feature sporting and other physical activities but must not imply that those activities have been undertaken after the consumption of alcohol.
6.3 Betting, Gaming, Gambling, Casinos and Lotteries (BCGCL)
6.3.1 Advertisements in the BCGCL category must not mislead consumers by omitting material information, nor must they mislead by hiding material information or presenting it in an unclear, unintelligible, ambiguous or untimely manner.
N.B: Material information is information that consumers need in context to make informed decisions about whether or how to buy a product or service. Whether the omission or presentation of material information is likely to mislead consumers depends on the context, the medium and, if the medium of the advertisement is constrained by time or space, the measures that the advertiser takes to make that information available to consumers by other means.
6.3.2 Advertisements in the BCGCL category must not:
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Portray, condone or encourage gambling that is socially irresponsible or could lead to financial, social or emotional harm
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Exploit the susceptibilities, aspirations, credulity, inexperience or lack of knowledge
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Suggest peer pressure to gamble nor disparage abstention
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Suggest gambling is a rite of passage
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Link gambling to seduction, sexual success or enhanced attractiveness
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Suggest that gambling can enhance personal qualities, for example, that it can improve selfimage or self-esteem, or is a way to gain control, superiority, recognition or admiration
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Exploit cultural beliefs or traditions about gambling or luck
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Suggest that gambling can provide an escape from personal, professional or educational problems such as loneliness or depression
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Suggest that gambling can be a solution to financial concerns, an alternative to employment or a way to achieve financial security
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Portray gambling as indispensable or as taking priority in life; for example, over family, friends or professional or educational commitments
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Condone or feature gambling in a working environment. An exception exists for licensed gambling premises.
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Suggest that solitary gambling is preferable to social gambling.
6.4 Financial Products and Services (FPS)
6.4.1 Advertisements for financial products and services with a very high APR, such as ‘pay day’ loans will not normally be suitable for advertisement through the Union.
6.4.2 Particular guidance in this area should be sought from ‘the Code’ set out by Advertising Standards
Authority to ensure compliance with national restrictions and marketing tactics.
6.4.3 Offers of financial products must be set out in a way that allows them to be understood easily by the audience being addressed. Advertisers must ensure that they do not take advantage of consumers' inexperience or credulity.
6.4.4 Advertisements in the FPS category should state the nature of the contract being offered, any limitation, expense, penalty or charge and the terms of withdrawal. Alternatively, if a marketing communication is short or general in its content, free material explaining the offer must be made readily available to consumers before a binding contract is entered into.
6.4.5 The basis used to calculate any rate of interest, forecast or projection must be apparent immediately in all advertisements within this FPS category.
6.4.6 Advertisements in the FPS category must make clear that the value of investments is variable and, unless guaranteed, can go down as well as up. If the value of the investment is guaranteed, the advertisement must explain the guarantee.
6.5 E-cigarettes
6.5.1 Due to the evolution of e-cigarettes careful consideration to any advertisements must be made in this area. In particular all advertisements must comply with section 22 of the non-broadcast edition of the Advertising Standards Authority’s ‘the Code’.
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