The Investment Migration Council (IMC) has released the first-ever Guidelines on Advertising and Marketing, providing a practical guide for IMC members when issuing commercial messages.

The Guidelines, also referred to as IMC Marketing Standards, aim to create a culture of professional excellence and ethical marketing practices in investment migration. They consist of two parts. The first part contains general provisions on advertising and marketing and covers topics such as accuracy and fairness; prohibition of discrimination; and data protection. It states that all information included in marketing and promotional material should be permitted by law in the jurisdiction where the IMC member operates.

The second part provides specific guidance on advertising and marketing of investment migration programmes. It addresses the topic of misleading and false information, with provisions ranging from the fair representation of programmes to the prohibition of aggressive advertisement practices. The Guidelines also outline content rules, including the use of terminology, imagery and research data. In addition, they state that the identity and contact details of IMC members should be transparent and easy to determine. Marketing and promotional materials should also reflect values of fair competition, with specific provisions covering the comparison between programmes, as well as the use of logos and trademarks, amongst others.

The Guidelines are the result of a comprehensive review undertaken by the IMC and are inspired by and closely resemble existing Marketing Codes of international organisations and national jurisdictions including the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Advertising and Marketing Communications Code.

The final outcome is an international, self-regulation tool that can be applied by companies of all sizes to show transparency and responsibility when dealing with issues of brand and the media. They should not be considered to be a substitute to the relevant laws and regulations.