Advertising Law and Policies 2700-FAK-D-PRPR
The course is dedicated to fundamental issues related to advertising law and advertising policies. Its aim is to provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand, interpret, and apply regulations concerning advertising law and policies. Students will learn to identify and analyse legal and ethical issues in advertising, diagnose unfair market practices, and design actions in compliance with applicable policies.
The course also aims to foster critical thinking about the impact of advertising on society and to prepare students to make responsible professional decisions in the field of advertising and media. Students will become familiar with the policy frameworks governing advertising activities in both traditional and digital media, as well as industry best practices and self-regulatory mechanisms.
The course covers topics related to consumer protection, copyright law, the protection of personal rights, and specific regulations concerning advertising sensitive products and services.
Discussed topics include:
1) Introduction to advertising law.
a) Sources of advertising law.
b) Definition of advertising and its types.
2) Advertising as an act of unfair competition or unfair market practice.
3) Advertising policies in the context of consumer protection.
a) Protection of minors in advertising – restrictions and best practices.
b) Mechanisms for monitoring and reporting advertising practices.
c) Transparency in advertising on social media.
d) Regulations concerning political advertising.
4) Copyright law and advertising.
a) Protection of creative works in advertising.
b) Copyright infringements in advertising campaigns.
5) Advertising law and policies in the media.
a) Legal frameworks for advertising in legacy and online media.
b) Advertising algorithms in digital media.
c) The influence of technological platforms on shaping global advertising standards.
d) Regulatory bodies overseeing advertising in the media.
6) Advertising and related concepts.
a) Product placement.
b) Sponsorship.
7) Special regulations for advertising certain (so-called sensitive) products and services.
a) Advertising of alcohol and tobacco products.
b) Advertising of gambling and financial services.
c) Guidelines for pharmaceutical advertising and greenwashing practices.
8) Personal rights and advertising.
a) The right to image and consent in advertising.
b) Defamation in the context of advertising.
9) Self-regulation and the ethical dimension of advertising
a) Ethical codes and standards in advertising.
b) Corporate social responsibility in advertising campaigns.
c) Gender stereotypes and discrimination in advertising.
10) Advertising policies in the international legal environment.
a) Harmonization of advertising policies within the European Union.
b) International advertising and cultural differences – challenges for global campaigns.
11) Summary: trends and challenges.
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, students will:
KNOWLEDGE:
• know and understand basic concepts from the field of media studies and law, particularly the terminology related to media policies, advertising, and marketing;
• know and understand the key aspects, dimensions, and conditions of the legal and ethical regulation of advertising;
• recognize and identify the most important issues and dilemmas related to the functioning of the media;
• reflect on their rights on the Internet;
• understand that freedom of speech does not mean unlimited freedom or impunity in the public sphere.
SKILLS:
• distinguish ethical principles from legal provisions;
• read and understand selected legal acts and ethical codes;
• correctly interpret legal regulations regarding advertising and apply them;
• assess the level of compliance with laws in specific advertising executions;
• identify ways of breaking or "bending" the law in advertisements;
• provide examples of unfair advertising practices;
• prepare a logical argument about advertising policies;
• diagnose multidimensional phenomena and processes in a mediatized reality;
• understand the social aspects of their activities and the responsibility involved in the decisions and actions they undertake.
OTHER COMPETENCES:
• be aware of the importance of ethical aspects in the process of creating advertisements;
• diagnose problems occurring at the intersection of different systems – legal and ethical;
• use the acquired knowledge and skills to analytically recognize phenomena and issues in contemporary advertising regulation;
• critically distinguish between theory and practice.
Assessment criteria
Assessment methods:
- description,
- case analysis,
- text analysis,
- brainstorming,
- explanation with elements of lecture,
- discussion,
- project.
Assessment criteria:
- attendance (a maximum of 4 absences; the lecturer does not provide for the possibility of making up classes for which the student was absent; excused absences are included in the four admissible absences)
- active participation in the classes (activity, discussion, completing tasks - including homework),
- final assignment (students choose the form): a written final test during the last class or a final project presented during classes.
Students will be able to pass the course only after meeting all the listed assessment criteria. The lecturer does not allow for retaking or improving grades once they are positive.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: