Created on May 28, 1979, the Higher Advertising Council (CSP) is an advisory body responsible for assisting the Ministry of Communication and Media of Côte d'Ivoire in managing the national advertising sector.
Chaired by Maurice Agoh and headed by Mamadou Dosso, it is composed of a college of eighteen members appointed by order of the Minister of Communication on the recommendation of the relevant ministers, organizations, and associations.
Overall, the CSP is responsible for monitoring advertising activities in Côte d'Ivoire. As part of its remit, the CSP is the body authorized to issue licenses to practice advertising professions. It also contributes to the development of the legal framework for advertising in Côte d'Ivoire.
For example, the billboard sector is undergoing a clean-up process to remedy the anarchic state of advertising displays throughout the country. This vast project falls under the authority of the CSP, in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication and Media, which is responsible for ensuring the compliance of advertising messages and monitoring their dissemination in accordance with the ethical rules imposed on all stakeholders.
According to Sandrine Roland, Associate Director of AOS Africa: "To support the development of the sector, it is necessary to put support measures in place in Côte d'Ivoire and to engage in a genuine dialogue with agencies. The taxation imposed on agencies should be reviewed. In addition, more regulation is needed to counter the problems of unfair competition. "
Read also: Interview with Sandrine Roland, Associate Director of AOS Africa
To support the development of the sector, the Minister of Communication and Media, Sidi Touré, has undertaken a tour of agencies and advertising agencies in recent months to discuss and reflect on measures to clean up the sector in Côte d'Ivoire. These visits were initiated by the CSP, whose ambition is to significantly improve the sector's activity and enable its development. The Minister gathered complaints and expectations from the various stakeholders. Some called for the establishment of a regulatory framework to protect national companies in the communications sector, which are facing increasing competition from GAFA.
Detailed CSP missions:
– Issuing authorizations to practice advertising professions
– Annual renewal of authorizations to practice;
– Verifying the compliance of advertising messages (prior and subsequent checks)
– Contributing to the development of the legal framework for advertising communication by drafting bills and decrees;
– Adopting rules of professional conduct;
– Giving its opinion on any draft or proposed legislation or regulations;
– Acting as an arbitrator in the settlement of disputes between players in the advertising communication sector;
– Verifying the distribution and audience of media;
– Proposing any measures likely to promote and develop advertising activity;
– Acting as a disciplinary council on breaches of the rules and ethics of the profession, and proposing appropriate sanctions to the Minister responsible for communication;
– Applying disciplinary sanctions against those who breach the obligations of the profession.