Comparative Analysis of the Old and New Advertising Codes

ABSTRACT This study undertakes a comparative analysis of the antecedent Nigerian Advertising Code and the recently promulgated Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Advertising Code. The investigation primarily scrutinizes the extent to which the revised code addresses lacunae in the former, particularly concerning ethical standards, deceptive advertising practices, consumer protection, digital media regulation, enforcement mechanisms, and analysis compliance protocols within the evolving digital advertising landscape. Employing content as the methodological framework, both regulatory documents were systematically examined using a meticulously structured coding sheet. The findings unequivocally indicate a substantial enhancement within the ARCON Code, notably in its granular provisions pertaining to digital advertising, fortified consumer safeguards, and robustly delineated penalty and enforcement structures. The study concludes that while the preceding code established a rudimentary regulatory framework, it exhibited limitations in specificity and adaptability to contemporary advertising exigencies. Conversely, the new ARCON Code demonstrates a more comprehensive, proactive, and globally congruent approach to advertising regulation in the Nigerian context. Recommendations posit the necessity of sustained regulatory oversight, periodic recalibration, and pervasive stakeholder engagement to ensure the codes enduring effectiveness and contemporary relevance.