Center for Ethical Marketing

As a leader in self-regulation, the ANA, through the Center for Ethical Marketing, helps businesses build brand and consumer trust through best practices, guidelines, guidance, compliance services, and committees. The Center seeks to educate, elevate, and advance accountability for the industry and mediate consumer complaints.

Be an ethics advocate for your company or organization – join the ANA Ethics Policy Committee or contact staff to learn how you can get more involved.

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Ethics Policy Committee

Open to all ANA members with a marketing background and interest in ethics, best practices, and related compliance topics, the Ethics Policy Committee meets quarterly to review pending activities at the federal and state levels, review and provide input to shaping the Guidelines for Ethical Business Practices and related ethical standards, and learn about best practices and key topics in ethical marketing across the marketing ecosystem.

Request to join the Ethics Policy Committee

Upcoming meetings:

April 27 | July 13

Previous meetings:

February 9, 2023 | October 12, 2022 | July 14, 2022 | April 13, 2022

Ethics Webinars

Join us as we explore how ethical marketing and best practices must play a key role in your marketing plans. Webinars feature leading marketing and advertising experts who will share best practices, tips, and compliance tools to help you be a force for good.

Upcoming webinars:

FUNdamentals of Ethical Marketing: Ethical Dilemmas – What Would You Do?
March 30, 2023

Previous webinars:

FUNdamentals of Ethical Marketing: Join our Interactive Game - Is It Ethical?
Available to watch on-demand. Recorded October 26, 2022

FUNdamentals of Ethical Marketing: Your Compliance Toolkit Awaits
Available to watch on-demand. Recorded September 7, 2022

IBM on AI and Ethics: from Principles to Practice
Available to watch on-demand. Recorded June 8, 2022

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Marketing Ethics

by Senny Boone, 2 weeks ago

With the advent of AI and synthetic media across the marketing ecosystem, ethics may not always be factored in and may instead become an afterthought. This can lead to risk for brands.

Consumer Fraud — In Your Name or on Your Platform — Is at a Crisis Level: An Opportunity for Brands

by Lisa Shosteck, 5 months ago

The scope of fraud on unsuspecting consumers is on the rise with a loss of billions and billions of dollars nationwide. There is a real opportunity for companies to take a greater leadership role by educating consumers, training employees, and taking preventative steps to protect their brand and support fraud victims.

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Additional Alerts from the Federal Trade Commission

Consumer Alerts | Scam Alerts

Ethical Business Practice Guidelines and Guidance

Also available as a PDF, these generally accepted principles of conduct reflect the marketing industry’s long-standing policy of promoting the highest levels of ethics in data stewardship and marketing.

Digital Marketing

List Management Tools

Effective and affordable data hygiene management and compliance tools to help you respect consumer marketing preferences and accelerate your sustainability journey.

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Consumer Help and Resources

If you have questions about a marketing or fundraising offer or would like more information on how to better manage your marketing experience, please review our consumer toolkit and resources below.

The ANA is interested in hearing from you if you believe a direct marketing promotion or practice is questionable and may warrant a formal review by staff or the ANA Ethics Review Committee. The ANA receives and investigates complaints against member and nonmember organizations.