• Advertising is an £18bn British success story.  It has been estimated that every £1 of advertising generates £6 for the economy.  It employs directly and indirectly half a million people.
• It is in the public interest for Governments to use advertising regulation to prevent harm and influence behaviour
• But advertising policies must be developed from sound evidence and in partnership with industry.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s ISBA’s annual lunch, Harriet Harman today announces that a Labour Government will:

1. support the advertising industry, itself a generator of jobs and economic growth, as an important part of the creative industries and important to our wider economy
2. work through the current structures in particular the Advertising Standards Authority
3. take an approach to regulation which is evidence-based
4. work across Government departments on issues which affect the advertising industry
5. work in consultation with the advertising industry on issues which affect the industry
6. improve the way the Government works with the advertising industry on Government-purchased advertising

Harriet Harman MP Labour’s Shadow Culture, Media and Sport Secretary said:

“Advertising is a British success story, both as an important and creative industry, but also in the work that it does to promote price competition at home and promote British exports overseas.

“Advertising is powerful and it must also be responsible. And this applies as new ways of engaging with the public are developed.   

 “Our policy on advertising will be based on sound evidence and developed through close working with industry.”