Code of Ethics

Standards of Practice

The conduct of the Chapter and of the members comprising it shall be governed by the following Standards of Practice:

First: To support unequivocally the principle of Truth in Marketing Communications, avoiding all manner of misrepresentation and falsification.

Second: To discourage the publication of marketing communications that does not measure up to the highest standards,

Third: To be guided by the Code of Business Ethics as adopted by the Business Marketing Association.

Code of Ethics

• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that contains untruthful, misleading, or deceptive statements, claims or implications.
• No claims shall be made in business communications whose truth and accuracy are incapable of substantiation through reasonable supporting documentation.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that unfairly disparages or attacks products, services or reputation of another company. Comparative communications which make clear and factual product or service comparison under similar conditions shall not be considered disparaging.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that contains inaccurate or misleading claims or prices, comparative pricing, guarantees, or warranties. Furthermore, guarantees or warranties should be fully explained or noted as to where the information could be obtained.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted about a product or service which is unsafe and would result in harm to the user without warning.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that is offensive or in bad taste.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that distorts or changes the meaning of quotes, statements or published material to a form other than implied by the speaker(s) or author(s).
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted that does not offer the user a fair opportunity to purchase products or services at the advertised price.
• No form of business communications shall be prepared or knowingly accepted which in any way violates the law or government statutes.
• No business communications shall be proposed which in any way compromises the media by using the economic power of advertising to dictate editorial content.
• No illustration shall be altered or used in any way which implies a material difference in appearance or performance of the product from that which is accurate.