Who must comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines?
The applicability test for Comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines (ACCC), computed across 35 industries, 9 business structures and 6 size bands.
Short answer: Only if
Applies only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
What the obligation is
Self-regulatory advertising standards enforced by Ad Standards (formerly ASB).
The Australian Association of National Advertisers (AANA) Code of Ethics and category-specific codes (Food and Beverages, Alcohol, Wagering, Children's etc.) are administered by Ad Standards. While self-regulatory, breaches attract publicity + recommendation to remove or modify ads. Repeat breaches escalate to ACCC scrutiny.
The applicability test
Applies only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
How the regulator frames it: Advertisers + advertising agencies + media organisations.
What triggers it: Publishing advertisements in Australia.
Jurisdiction: Commonwealth law, so the test is the same in every state and territory.
Which industries are in or out
Outcome across the 35 industries Rules Mate maps (35 of 35: only if a further fact applies).
The answer is the same in every industry: only if a further fact applies. Industry does not change who must comply.
Business structure and size
Structure does not change the answer across all industries: for every structure the answer is "only if a further fact applies".
Size does not change the answer across all industries: at every size band the answer is "only if a further fact applies".
Worked examples
Each line is one run of the Rules Mate applicability engine for a single business profile, with the reason the engine gives:
- Pty Ltd company in real estate agents with 6–19 employees, turnover $1M–$3M: check whether it applies. applies only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers.
When you need to check further
The engine shows this obligation as "check whether this applies" when a business has consumer customers. It then applies only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers. That fact is not something Rules Mate can infer from industry, structure or size.
What you must do, and when
- When due
- Continuous.
- Frequency
- Ongoing
- Evidence to keep
- Internal advertising approval; legal sign-off; Ad Standards engagement records.
- Status
- Current
- Priority
- Medium
Penalty for not complying
Maximum penalty: Self-regulatory but reputational + ACCC referral risk.
Audit or assurance level
Rules Mate has not yet classified the audit or assurance level for this obligation. Any audit, review or certification requirement is set by the regulator source listed below.
Obligations with the same applicability test
If this obligation applies to you, so does this one: the engine uses the same rule for each.
Where it sits in the corpus
Rules Mate tracks 7 published obligations tagged "marketing", 0 of them rated critical. For a professional services Pty Ltd company with 6–19 employees operating in every state, 1 of those apply outright. This obligation is rated medium priority, and is an ongoing duty.
Regulator, legislation and tools
Regulated by Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
ACCC: Competition and consumer regulator administering the Competition and Consumer Act 2010 and Australian Consumer Law, plus industry codes and infrastructure access regimes.
Free tools that help with this obligation:
Questions
- Who must comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines?
- Applies only if you advertise to consumers or engage influencers. Whether it applies turns on a fact that no industry, structure or size settles on its own.
- Do sole traders need to comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines?
- Only if a further fact applies. Across every industry and every size band, the engine's answer for a sole trader is: only if a further fact applies.
- Do businesses with 1–5 employees need to comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines?
- Only if a further fact applies (1–5 employees, turnover $100K–$1M).
- When is "Comply with AANA Code of Ethics + community guidelines" due?
- Continuous.
Related
Sources
Computed by the Rules Mate applicability engine from the published obligation corpus; facts last checked 3 October 2026. Rules Mate is not a law firm and this is general information, not legal advice. Confirm your position with the regulator source or a qualified adviser before acting.