WOM UK endorses consumer protection legislation

WOM UK, the trade association for the word of mouth marketing industry, has welcomed the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations.

WOM UK has welcomed the new Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations and said that it does not ban word of mouth marketing, but provides a regulatory framework that supports WOM UK's existing code of ethics for its members.

WOM UK is hosting an Espresso Briefing on 28 May to brief members on the implications of the new legislation.

Speakers include Marina Palomba, legal director of the IPA, and Steve Barton, president of WOM UK.

The new regulation does not ban or prohibit word of mouth marketing, according to Fraser Chisholm of Royal Mail, a WOM UK council member: "The interpretation is that individuals are still free to advocate products and services.

"The key difference is that an advertiser must not falsely represent oneself as a consumer: the advertiser must disclose its relationship".

Steve Barton, president of WOM UK, added: "We are very much in favour of protecting and acting in the consumer's best interests.

"If fact, we go one step further: we actively promote ethical and professional word of mouth marketing practices.

"Every member of WOM UK must sign up to the WOMMA ethics code in order to be a member.

"Honesty of relationship, opinion and identity are the key to what we believe and how we behave.

"It is this focus on ethical practice that helped the word of mouth marketing business grow to be worth $1.3bn in the US in 2007".

The WOM UK Espresso Briefing on the implications of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 is on 28 May from 8:30am to 10:00am.

WOM UK is the independent not-for-profit organisation representing the word of mouth marketing and communication industry in the UK.

WOM UK was set to mirror the success of the USA's WOMMA in establishing a member owned trade association designed to help he WOMM business grow in the UK.

We do this by promoting ethical practices, skills development and access to the leading practitioners.

Our membership includes a wide range of organisations including brands, creative agencies, research firms through to data bureaux.

Member companies include: Unilever, Royal Mail, Experian, Nielson, Edelman, 1000heads, Weber Shandwick, Golin Harris, Wildfire, BzzAgent UK, Dubit, Face Group and RAMP Industry.

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