EASA Best Practice Awards 2024 winners

18 October 2024

Yesterday evening, in the historic and magnificent setting of the House of Lords, EASA hosted the 2024 Best Practice Awards ceremony. The BPA recognises self-regulatory organizations (SROs) that demonstrate excellence in applying the EASA Best Practice Model and fostering innovation in advertising self-regulation.

The ceremony celebrated remarkable projects across Europe that have contributed to the improvement and evolution of advertising self-regulation. We are delighted to announce the winners of this year’s awards.

Gold Award: Advertising Standards Authority UK

The Gold Award went to the Advertising Standards Authority UK for their Active Ad Monitoring system. This innovative tool leverages artificial intelligence and machine learning to analyse over 3 million ads monthly. By automating the process of monitoring advertisements, the system enables quicker identification of non-compliant ads, particularly in areas related to climate change and environmental claims. This cutting-edge technology significantly enhances enforcement, allowing the ASA to respond swiftly to misleading or harmful advertising.

Silver Award: Stichting Reclame Code (Netherlands)

The Silver Award was awarded to Stichting Reclame Code for their project influencerregels.com. This initiative, led by SRC in collaboration with key industry players, aims to improve standards and awareness in influencer marketing. Through a comprehensive e-learning program that offers certification, the platform has successfully registered over 1,460 influencers. The project established Influencerregels.com as a vital resource for ensuring transparency and compliance with marketing guidelines, helping to foster greater trust in influencer advertising.

Bronze Award: Österreichischer Werberat (Austria)

The Bronze Award went to Österreichischer Werberat for their AI-powered CRM tool. This tool was designed to streamline the complaint submission and decision-making processes within the Austrian Advertising Council. By integrating AI, the tool reduces administrative burdens by nearly 50%, allowing for a more efficient handling of consumer complaints and quicker resolutions. This innovation greatly enhances the council’s operational efficiency, benefiting both the organization and the public.

Social Impact Award: Clearcast (UK)

Clearcast (UK) received the Social Impact Award for their #Adsforall campaign, launched in November 2022. The campaign aimed to improve TV ad accessibility for individuals with hearing loss by promoting the use of subtitles and encouraging industry collaboration. As a result, awareness around ad accessibility increased, positioning Clearcast as a key advocate for inclusive advertising. The campaign has had a lasting social impact by ensuring that advertisements are accessible to a broader audience, particularly those with disabilities.

Collaboration Award: Advertising Standards Authority (Ireland)

The Collaboration Award was presented to the Advertising Standards Authority (Ireland) for their Guidance on Influencer Advertising and Marketing, a joint effort with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC). This partnership resulted in the creation of essential guidelines for social media influencers, brands, and advertisers, promoting transparency through clear disclosure and labeling of advertising content. The initiative addressed growing public concerns about hidden advertising and helped foster trust in influencer marketing practices.

Honorable Mentions

In addition to the award winners, several other organisations were recognized for their impactful contributions to advertising self-regulation:

  • RAC (Romania) launched an initiative in late 2023 to raise awareness of responsible influencer marketing. The project emphasized best practices outlined in the RAC Code of Advertising and targeted influencer agencies and regulatory authorities. Their key event, the “Influencer Marketing – Present and Perspectives Conference,” held in May 2024 in Bucharest, attracted over 100 participants and promoted ethical standards in influencer content.
  • JEP (Belgium) initiated a strategic campaign to raise public awareness of the Jury for Ethical Advertising Practices (JEP). This campaign aimed to remind consumers of their right to file complaints about unethical advertising and highlighted JEP’s role in maintaining ethical standards in the advertising industry. The campaign successfully reached key stakeholders, policymakers, and the general public.
  • AUTOCONTROL (Spain) made significant strides in enhancing advertising self-regulation through a new agreement with Spain’s National Market and Competition Commission (CNMC). Signed in June 2024, this agreement reinforces AUTOCONTROL’s role in co-regulating advertising, particularly in relation to video-sharing platforms and influencers, under the new General Audiovisual Communication Law.

A Special Thanks to Our Jury

A heartfelt thank you goes out to our esteemed jury members, who played an invaluable role in selecting this year’s winners. The jury was chaired by Michael Todd and included industry experts Tamara Daltroff, Richard Saturley, Rebecka Allen, and Wout van Wijk. Their dedication and insights helped to ensure that the most innovative and impactful projects were recognised.