Guidelines for adverts on CFG’s website

Guidelines for adverts on CFG’s website

Our guidelines for adverts on our website have been developed to help advertisers provide us with high quality material, that is:

  • In the right format and size;

  • honest – an accurate description of the product or service;

  • legal;

  • accessible; and

  • inclusive.

 

Format and size

Adverts must be supplied as a PNG file with the correct dimensions

  • Banner – 1000 x 150 px

  • Box – 303 x 250 px

 

Legality

Adverts must be in line with the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing (CAP Code) – the rule book for non-broadcast advertising. This includes “advertisements in non-broadcast electronic media, including but not limited to: online advertisements in paid-for space (including banner or pop-up advertisements and online video advertisements)” as sold by CFG.

If an advert relates to an activity, product or service that is regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) then adverts must also adhere to the FCA’s rules on advertising and promotions. The FCA says that “All financial promotions must be clear, fair and not misleading regardless of the media type.” Advertisers registered with the FCA are required to follow the rules and guidance set out in the FCA Handbook.

 

Accessibility

We want to make sure our website can be used by as many people as possible, including but not limited to:

  • people with impaired vision, including colour vision deficiency (‘colour blindness’);

  • people with motor difficulties;

  • people with cognitive impairment;

  • people with learning disabilities;

  • people with neurodiversity, such as dyslexia and dyscalculia; and

  • people who are deaf or hearing impaired.

We know we still have work to do on our website to reach a point where all our content has been checked and is fully accessible. We are keen to ensure all new content, including adverts, is accessible.

Top tips for accessible communications from Charity Comms is a great place to start. (August 2021).

Questions for advertisers to consider:

1. Have you used a typeface (font) that is clear to read in digital form?

2. Have you checked the spacing around blocks of text and within text blocks?

3. Have you made sure that the use of colour – especially the relationship between text colour and background colour – provides a good contrast?

4. Have you checked for readability, avoiding the use of block capitals and italics?

5. Have you used #CamelCase for any hashtags, to ensure screen readers can handle the text appropriately?

6. Have you used alt text for your image(s) so that screen readers can describe your image for visually impaired site users?

 

Inclusivity

We hope our advertisers share our commitment to inclusivity where people are valued regardless of their ethnicity, gender, age, shape, and whether they are disabled of not.

We check our own images carefully to ensure they reflect and reinforce our commitment to inclusivity. We also aim to use non-gendered language.

Odgers Berndston’s article, A Sense of Belonging: The Importance of Inclusive Imagery and Language, is insightful. (April 2022)

 

Additional resources

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines