The Committees of Advertising Practice
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) is the UK self-regulatory body that writes and maintains the UK Advertising Codes, which are mandatory across all media and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Committees of Advertising Practice does
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP), formally The Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd., is the UK self-regulatory body responsible for writing and maintaining the UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing, alongside the broadcast codes co-authored with BCAP. Founded as a separate legal entity in 2004 and operating from Castle House, London, CAP's codes are mandatory for all advertising in the UK and are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), with non-compliance escalated to Trading Standards. The organisation serves every UK advertiser across broadcast, online, print, outdoor, and social media, offering AdviceOnline written guidance, pre-publication Copy Advice, training programmes (eLearning, Bitesize videos, webinars, in-person sessions), formal consultations on code amendments, and published rulings.
CAP's product surface is anchored in regulatory text and guidance content, with newer technology layers including AI-based monitoring systems being scaled up to proactively flag non-compliant advertising. The organisation is funded primarily through a levy on the UK advertising industry rather than commercial sales; training and Copy Advice fees are minor income streams. CAP works in close complementary partnership with the ASA, sharing governance, premises, and the asa.org.uk web platform, and is currently integrating statutory requirements from the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 into the advertising codes. Recent regulatory milestones include new code amendments effective April 2025 and UK-wide restrictions on advertising less healthy food and drink effective 5 January 2026.
The Committees of Advertising Practice firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Committees of Advertising Practice
- Legal name
- The Committee of Advertising Practice Ltd.
- Website
- https://cap.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) is the UK self-regulatory body that writes and maintains the UK Advertising Codes, which are mandatory across all media and enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Committees of Advertising Practice industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Advertising Self-Regulation
- SIC
- Services-Advertising (7310)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Reference (Public Administration, Regulatory Guidance) (EDAGAGAK)
Keywords
Where The Committees of Advertising Practice is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Committees of Advertising Practice business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Training and Events: CAP offers paid training programs and events for advertisers, including webinars and elearning courses. Prices start from £180 per person plus VAT for training sessions.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Per seat | Training sessions on misleading advertising and compliance |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels9 records
The Committees of Advertising Practice product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CAP writes and maintains the UK Advertising Codes (the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising and the BCAP codes for broadcast) that govern all advertising across UK media. It provides interpretive guidance through AdviceOnline, pre-publication Copy Advice reviews, eLearning courses, webinars, and CAP Bitesize videos to help advertisers comply with these codes. The codes are enforced by the ASA, and CAP updates them in response to legislative changes such as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Product overview
The Committees of Advertising Practice (CAP) is the organization that writes the UK advertising codes, which are enforced by the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). CAP offers a suite of guidance and training products to help advertisers comply with advertising regulations, including AdviceOnline (written guidance on interpreting advertising rules), CAP eLearning (interactive online training), CAP Bitesize (short video series on specific topics), CAP Webinars (live educational sessions), Copy Advice (pre-publication advisory service), and published Rulings (ASA decisions that establish compliance precedents).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Advertising Codes The written rules and guidelines (UK Code of Non-broadcast Advertising and Direct & Promotional Marketing, and BCAP TV/Radio codes) that define acceptable advertising practices, which CAP writes and ASA enforces.
- AdviceOnline
Quantifiable outcome
- New advertising rule changes are implemented quickly in response to legislation such as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use The Committees of Advertising Practice
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Committees of Advertising Practice technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Feature1 record
The Committees of Advertising Practice partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)coreASA is the independent regulator of advertising in the UK, while CAP writes the Advertising Codes. ASA enforces the codes written by CAP. This is a complementary regulatory partnership where CAP sets the rules and ASA enforces them.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Committees of Advertising Practice competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Deutscher Werberat: Germany's self-regulatory advertising council, which adjudicates complaints against the codes of conduct of German advertising industry bodies. A direct functional peer within Europe's broader self-regulatory advertising framework.
- Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP): France's self-regulatory advertising body, which issues advertising rules and pre-clearance advice through its JDP (Jury de Déontologie Publicitaire). The closest international functional equivalent to CAP's combination of code authorship, guidance, and pre-publication advice.
- Stichting Reclame Code (SRC): Netherlands' self-regulatory advertising foundation that maintains the Dutch Advertising Code (Nederlandse Reclame Code) and operates an independent adjudication board. Closely mirrors CAP's structure of code authorship and complaint-based enforcement.
- Istituto dell'Autodisciplina Pubblicitaria (IAP): Italy's self-regulatory advertising body that maintains the Codice di Autodisciplina della Comunicazione Commerciale and operates a pre-clearance copy review service. Directly comparable to CAP in code-writing and pre-publication advisory functions.
- Advertising Standards Authority (ASA): The UK enforcement counterpart that administers and enforces the very codes written by CAP. Co-located at Castle House in London and sharing governance structures, the two bodies function as a single integrated self-regulatory system for UK advertising.
- Advertising Standards Canada (ASC): Canada's national advertising self-regulatory body, which maintains the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards and provides pre-clearance services. Comparable to CAP in both code authorship and pre-publication copy review responsibilities.
- Clearcast: UK-based pre-clearance body for TV and radio advertisements, working in partnership with broadcasters and BCAP (the broadcast code-writing counterpart of CAP). Directly comparable as a UK advertising compliance service provider adjacent to CAP's non-broadcast remit.
- Asociación para la Autorregulación de la Comunicación Comercial (Autocontrol): Spain's self-regulatory advertising body that issues the Código de Conducta and runs a pre-clearance 'Consulta previa' service analogous to CAP's Copy Advice. Comparable role in setting and interpreting advertising rules within its national market.
Broad incumbents
- Ofcom: The UK's statutory communications regulator with jurisdiction over broadcast advertising standards on top of CAP/BCAP's role. Functions as a broader incumbent in the same regulatory space, with statutory powers CAP's self-regulatory model lacks.
Regional players
- Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI): Ireland's self-regulatory advertising body operating the Code of Standards for Advertising and Marketing Communications. Highly comparable to CAP but operating in a different national jurisdiction with a smaller market footprint.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Committees of Advertising Practice social profiles
Digital presenceThe Committees of Advertising Practice financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Committees of Advertising Practice leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
The Committees of Advertising Practice funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Committees of Advertising Practice M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Committees of Advertising Practice
What does The Committees of Advertising Practice do?
CAP writes and maintains the UK Advertising Codes (the CAP Code for non-broadcast advertising and the BCAP codes for broadcast) that govern all advertising across UK media. It provides interpretive guidance through AdviceOnline, pre-publication Copy Advice reviews, eLearning courses, webinars, and CAP Bitesize videos to help advertisers comply with these codes. The codes are enforced by the ASA, and CAP updates them in response to legislative changes such as the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.
Is The Committees of Advertising Practice a public or private company?
The Committees of Advertising Practice is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Committees of Advertising Practice founded?
The Committees of Advertising Practice was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Committees of Advertising Practice based?
The Committees of Advertising Practice is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does The Committees of Advertising Practice make money?
One revenue line is on record: training and Events.
Who are The Committees of Advertising Practice's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Deutscher Werberat, Autorité de Régulation Professionnelle de la Publicité (ARPP), Stichting Reclame Code (SRC), Istituto dell'Autodisciplina Pubblicitaria (IAP), Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), Advertising Standards Canada (ASC), Clearcast and Asociación para la Autorregulación de la Comunicación Comercial (Autocontrol). Ofcom is listed as a broad incumbent. Advertising Standards Authority of Ireland (ASAI) is listed as a regional player.
Does The Committees of Advertising Practice have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Committees of Advertising Practice.
What industry is The Committees of Advertising Practice in?
The Committees of Advertising Practice's product category is Advertising Self-Regulation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAGAGAK, Government, Public Policy & Regulatory Reference (Public Administration, Regulatory Guidance). Its SIC code is 7310.