The attached "Elite Club Promotion/Advertising Violation Form" is used to identify any violations of the below listed Elite Club Rules for Promotion/Advertising.
SOAR ELITE CLUB RULES FOR PROMOTION/ADVERTISING
The essence of these rules is to permit certain types of INDIVIDUAL promotion, not company promotion.
No company, office, or group of agents affiliated with the ELITE CLUB will be permitted to use this contest or its results in any advertising or promotion of his company or individuals connected with the company, including news/press releases without prior approval by the Board of Directors. Further, it is the agent/company’s responsibility to notify new reporters of this rule.
An Elite Club recipient may announce their personal participation in the club in individual advertising, printed promotional pieces, individual news releases or articles AFTER the Awards Gala. Companies may not participate in collective announcements of the Elite Club and/or Rookie of the Year and Realtor® of the Year Awards in ANY print advertising (i.e., newspapers, magazines, billboards, banners, etc) without prior approval by the Board of Directors. This rule is for individual promotion, not for the collective use by the company, affiliated franchise or multiple recipients other than co-listing marketing their properties and must include the name SOUTHERN OHIO ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® ELITE CLUB and the years(s) of the Club Membership.
Group ads featuring the names, pictures, and firm (at the time the application is submitted to the Elite Club) in alphabetical order by individual, will be placed in the news media, at the discretion of the ELITE CLUB Committee, after the Awards Gala. Recipients will be honored on the same basis with pictures of identical size. The name of the company on the application form shall be recognized as agents company.
PROMOTION/ADVERTISING (CONT)
Those individuals who qualify for the ELITE CLUB may indicate the following their business cards in the exact indicated format below:
-1st line: Southern Ohio Elite Club
-2nd line: Award Level and Years for which award was earned separated by commas, or the words “through” may be used if the years and award levels are consecutive.
-Additional line(s): Each Award Level and/or Award (i.e., REALTOR® of the Year; Rookie of the Year) must be listed on its own line with the years for which award was earned separated by commas, or the words “through” may be used if the years and award levels are consecutive.
**The winners’ name shall not be larger than the company’s and the year shall not be larger than the winner’s name.
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Examples of Acceptable Advertising:
Mary Smith
Southern Ohio Elite Club
Silver Level 2015, 2017
Gold Level 2019 through 2023
Mike Jones
Southern Ohio Elite Club
Gold Level 2015 through 2018
Platinum Level 2019, 2021
REALTOR® of the Year 2021
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Examples of UNACCEPTABLE Advertising:
Mary Smith
SOAR Elite Club Gold Level
SOAR Elite Club Silver Level
Mike Jones
SOAR Elite Club Gold Level
SOAR Elite Club Platinum Level
SOAR REALTOR® of the Year
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The Elite Club Committee would like to remind all REALTORS® that the National Association of REALTORS® Code of Ethics is the guide which should be used for all advertising. The REALTOR® is responsible for adhering to any applicable state advertising laws. The Southern Ohio Association of REALTORS® Elite Club Award should not be used in any advertisements and representations which would present a false picture to the public. REALTORS® are also encouraged to follow the Preamble of the Code of Ethics which advises that REALTORS® “not attempt to gain any unfair advantage over their competitors”.
ENFORCEMENT
The ELITE CLUB Committee shall be responsible for the enforcement of the Club rules. When it appears that a violation of these rules has occurred, the committee shall notify, in writing, the firm and the agent involved shall answer in writing, within ten (10) days from receipt of the notice. The Committee shall then afford the firm, and agent involved, the opportunity of a hearing before it prepares recommended action to the Board of Directors. When the ELITE CLUB Committee establishes that a violation of the rules has occurred and a fine is deemed to be the appropriate punitive measure, the fine shall not exceed $1,000 for each agent involved. However, the punitive action which the Committee may recommend to the Board of Directors shall not be limited to a fine only. Any committee member who divulges any information from the Committee records will be subject to a fine up to and not exceeding $1,000.