COURSE OVERVIEW:

Welcome to the Ensuring Compliance in Marketing & Advertisement Operations course. This program has been designed to strengthen the capability of marketing professionals, agencies, compliance teams and senior leaders to navigate the complex legal, ethical and operational obligations that govern marketing and advertising activities in Australia.

Compliance forms the foundation of trustworthy, ethical and high-performing marketing practice. This course begins by outlining the Australian regulatory framework that shapes advertising conduct, emphasising the importance of compliance in supporting brand protection, consumer confidence and legal risk reduction. Learners examine the roles and responsibilities of marketing teams, agencies and organisational leaders, along with the oversight functions of key regulators such as the ACCC, OAIC, AANA, TGA and ASIC. The introduction also explores how ethical marketing supports consumer rights, strengthens reputation and aligns with broader organisational governance expectations.

A strong understanding of Australian Consumer Law (ACL) is essential to truthful and lawful advertising. This section examines compliance obligations relating to accurate, non-misleading and substantiated advertising; ensuring transparency in pricing; and avoiding false claims, deceptive omissions or unfair sales techniques. Learners explore the importance of evidence-based claims—including scientific, environmental, performance and therapeutic representations—to meet ACCC expectations.

Compliance also extends to comparative advertising, disclaimers and product representation. This section addresses the requirements for factual comparisons, clear conditions and qualifications, lawful use of promotional terms such as “free” or “discount” and truth-in-labelling requirements for product packaging. Learners examine the importance of accuracy in images, copy and promotional materials to maintain consumer trust and avoid legal breaches.

Privacy, data protection and ethical information use are central considerations in modern marketing. This section outlines obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles, including lawful data collection, secure storage, consent-based marketing communications, ethical use of cookies and analytics and compliance with mandatory data-breach notification rules.

Digital marketing and electronic communications bring additional compliance requirements. This section explores the Spam Act 2003, including rules for email and SMS marketing, unsubscribe processes and obligations under the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 for telemarketing practices. Learners also examine requirements for digital advertising transparency, targeted ads, metadata accuracy and sponsored online content.

Social media and influencer marketing require careful oversight to meet legal and ethical expectations. This section outlines compliance with platform rules, AANA guidelines for influencer marketing, visible disclosure of paid partnerships and processes for monitoring influencer content to ensure accuracy, legality and transparency.

Marketing to children and vulnerable groups carries heightened compliance obligations. This section examines the AANA Code for Advertising to Children, ethical considerations for vulnerable populations and rules governing food and beverage marketing, avoiding manipulative or high-pressure tactics and ensuring protective measures in all youth-targeted advertising.

Restricted product advertising requires industry-specific compliance. This section covers advertising rules for alcohol, tobacco, vapes, gambling and therapeutic goods under TGA requirements, financial product advertising under ASIC regulations and environmental claims under “greenwashing” compliance expectations. Learners also explore transparency and authorisation requirements for political advertising.

Intellectual property, licensing and creative content obligations form an essential part of compliant marketing practice. This section outlines compliance with copyright and trademark laws, proper licensing of creative assets, safe use of competitor branding and documentation of permissions and IP rights.

Promotions, competitions and consumer engagement activities require clear legal procedures. This section examines state-based permit requirements, transparent terms and conditions, fair prize administration processes and ethical conduct in surveys and lead generation. Learners also explore how to manage promotions without encouraging harmful or irresponsible consumer behaviour.

Accessibility, inclusivity and anti-discrimination compliance ensure ethical marketing communication. This section explores obligations to avoid discriminatory content, meet accessibility standards for digital materials, use inclusive language and imagery and avoid harmful stereotypes. Learners examine how ethical communication supports engagement with diverse communities.

Internal governance and quality assurance processes underpin ongoing compliance. This section covers accurate record-keeping, brand guideline adherence, legal sign-off processes, mandatory compliance training for marketing teams and internal audits to identify risks and improve systems.

Finally, the course explores how compliance can be embedded into everyday marketing and advertising operations. This section highlights the importance of integrating legal and ethical requirements into routine workflows, maintaining strong communication of expectations, fostering a culture of integrity and transparency and aligning marketing decisions with organisational values and community expectations. Learners examine how continuous improvement supports long-term excellence and compliance in marketing practice.

By the end of this course, you will be equipped with the knowledge, frameworks and practical competencies required to deliver ethical, lawful and high-quality marketing and advertising activities that protect consumers, strengthen organisational reputation and uphold regulatory standards across the Australian marketplace.

Each section is complemented with examples to illustrate the concepts and techniques discussed.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this course, you will be able to understand the following topics:

Introduction to Compliance Requirements in Marketing & Advertisement

• Overview of the regulatory framework governing marketing and advertising in Australia
• Importance of compliance for brand protection, consumer trust, and legal risk reduction
• Key regulators and oversight bodies (ACCC, OAIC, AANA, TGA, ASIC)
• Roles and responsibilities of marketing teams, agencies, and senior management
• Relationship between ethical marketing, consumer rights, and organisational reputation

Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and Truthful Advertising Obligations

• Compliance with the ACL for truthful, accurate, non-misleading advertising
• Ensuring no false claims, omissions, or deceptive marketing techniques
• Compliance with ACCC guidelines for advertising and consumer protection
• Ensuring transparency in pricing including fees, surcharges, and conditions
• Ensuring substantiation for quality, performance, scientific, environmental, and therapeutic claims

Comparative Advertising, Disclaimers, and Product Representation Compliance

• Ensuring comparative advertising is factual, evidence-based, and not misleading
• Ensuring disclaimers, conditions, and qualifications are clear and prominent
• Ensuring claims such as “free”, “discount”, or “sale” meet legal definitions
• Complying with truth-in-labelling requirements for product packaging
• Maintaining accuracy in product descriptions, images, and promotional copy

Privacy, Data Protection, and Ethical Use of Consumer Information

• Compliance with the Privacy Act 1988 and Australian Privacy Principles
• Ensuring lawful collection, storage, and use of personal information
• Maintaining consumer consent for marketing communications
• Ensuring ethical use of cookies, analytics, and behavioural targeting tools
• Ensuring compliance with data-breach notification obligations

Digital Marketing, Electronic Messaging, and Telemarketing Compliance

• Compliance with the Spam Act 2003 for email, SMS, and digital outreach
• Ensuring clear, accessible unsubscribe mechanisms
• Compliance with the Do Not Call Register Act 2006 for telemarketing
• Ensuring targeted ads comply with digital advertising laws and platform policies
• Maintaining accurate metadata for digital ads and sponsored content

Social Media, Influencer Marketing, and Paid Partnerships

• Ensuring compliance with social media platform advertising rules
• Disclosing paid partnerships, sponsorships, and influencer content visibly
• Ensuring influencers follow AANA Influencer Marketing Guidelines
• Monitoring influencer posts for accuracy, legality, and ethical compliance
• Ensuring staff and partners understand obligations around endorsements

Marketing to Children and Advertising to Vulnerable Populations

• Compliance with the AANA Code for Advertising to Children
• Ensuring advertising to children meets strict ethical and safety standards
• Ensuring no exploitation of vulnerable groups (elderly, low-literacy, disadvantaged)
• Avoiding manipulative, high-pressure, or sophisticated techniques targeting minors
• Ensuring food and beverage advertising follows AANA Food & Beverage Advertising Code

Restricted Product Marketing and Regulatory-Specific Advertising Requirements

• Compliance with advertising rules for alcohol, gambling, tobacco, and vapes
• Ensuring marketing complies with TGA therapeutic goods advertising requirements
• Ensuring financial product advertising complies with ASIC guidelines
• Ensuring environmental claims (“green claims”) comply with ACCC and AANA rules
• Meeting transparency and authorisation requirements for political advertising

Intellectual Property, Licensing, and Creative Content Compliance

• Complying with copyright, trademark, and intellectual property laws
• Ensuring proper licensing for stock images, fonts, music, and creative assets
• Preventing unauthorised use of competitor branding or protected content
• Ensuring product design and branding do not infringe IP rights
• Maintaining documentation of copyright permissions and licences

Promotions, Competitions, Giveaways, and Consumer Engagement Compliance

• Ensuring lawful competitions and giveaways (state permits, lottery rules, eligibility)
• Maintaining transparent terms and conditions for all promotions
• Ensuring prize draws are conducted fairly and transparently
• Ensuring ethical conduct in surveys, data collection, and lead generation
• Ensuring marketing does not encourage irresponsible or harmful behaviours

Accessibility, Inclusivity, and Anti-Discrimination Compliance

• Ensuring marketing does not breach anti-discrimination or vilification laws
• Ensuring digital and website content meets accessibility standards (where required)
• Ensuring inclusive language, imagery, and representation in all communications
• Avoiding harmful stereotypes and discriminatory portrayals
• Ensuring ethical engagement with diverse communities and audiences

Internal Controls, Governance, and Quality Assurance for Marketing Teams

• Maintaining accurate record-keeping for marketing approvals and substantiation
• Ensuring compliance with corporate or franchise brand guidelines
• Implementing a legal sign-off process for advertising and promotional content
• Ensuring marketing staff complete compliance training
• Maintaining internal audits, risk reviews, and corrective actions

Embedding Compliance into Everyday Marketing & Advertisement Operations

• Integrating compliance requirements into daily marketing workflows
• Ensuring consistent communication of legal and ethical obligations to staff
• Building a culture of integrity, transparency, and responsible brand conduct
• Ensuring marketing decisions align with organisational values and consumer expectations
• Supporting long-term excellence and compliance through continuous improvement

COURSE DURATION:

The typical duration of this course is approximately 2-3 hours to complete. Your enrolment is Valid for 12 Months. Start anytime and study at your own pace.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

You must have access to a computer or any mobile device with Adobe Acrobat Reader (free PDF Viewer) installed, to complete this course.

COURSE DELIVERY:

Purchase and download course content.

ASSESSMENT:

A simple 10-question true or false quiz with Unlimited Submission Attempts.

CERTIFICATION:

Upon course completion, you will receive a customised digital “Certificate of Completion”.