2210. Communications with the Public
This rule is no longer applicable. NASD Rule 2210 has been superseded by FINRA Rule 2210. Please consult the appropriate FINRA Rule.
(a) Definitions
For purposes of this Rule and any interpretation thereof, "communications with the public" consist of:
(1) "Advertisement." Any material, other than an independently prepared reprint and institutional sales material, that is published, or used in any electronic or other public media, including any Web site, newspaper, magazine or other periodical, radio, television, telephone or tape recording, videotape display, signs or billboards, motion pictures, or telephone directories (other than routine listings).
(2) "Sales Literature." Any written or electronic communication, other than an advertisement, independently prepared reprint, institutional sales material and correspondence, that is generally distributed or made generally available to customers or the public, including circulars, research reports, performance reports or summaries, form letters, telemarketing scripts, seminar texts, reprints (that are not independently prepared reprints) or excerpts of any other advertisement, sales literature or published article, and press releases concerning a member's products or services.
(3) "Correspondence" as defined in Rule 2211(a)(1).
(4) "Institutional Sales Material" as defined in Rule 2211(a)(2).
(5) "Public Appearance." Participation in a seminar, forum (including an interactive electronic forum), radio or television interview, or other public appearance or public speaking activity.
(6) "Independently Prepared Reprint."
(A) Any reprint or excerpt of any article issued by a publisher, provided that:
(i) the publisher is not an affiliate of the member using the reprint or any underwriter or issuer of a security mentioned in the reprint or excerpt and that the member is promoting;
(ii) neither the member using the reprint or excerpt nor any underwriter or issuer of a security mentioned in the reprint or excerpt has commissioned the reprinted or excerpted article; and
(iii) the member using the reprint or excerpt has not materially altered its contents except as necessary to make the reprint or excerpt consistent with applicable regulatory standards or to correct factual errors;
(B) Any report concerning an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, provided that:
(i) the report is prepared by an entity that is independent of the investment company, its affiliates, and the member using the report (the "research firm");
(ii) the report's contents have not been materially altered by the member using the report except as necessary to make the report consistent with applicable regulatory standards or to correct factual errors;
(iii) the research firm prepares and distributes reports based on similar research with respect to a substantial number of investment companies;
(iv) the research firm updates and distributes reports based on its research of the investment company with reasonable regularity in the normal course of the research firm's business;
(v) neither the investment company, its affiliates nor the member using the research report has commissioned the research used by the research firm in preparing the report; and
(vi) if a customized report was prepared at the request of the investment company, its affiliate or a member, then the report includes only information that the research firm has already compiled and published in another report, and does not omit information in that report necessary to make the customized report fair and balanced.
Cross Reference—
Rules Concerning Review and Endorsement of Correspondence are Found in paragraph (d) to Conduct Rule 3010.
(b) Approval and Recordkeeping
(1) Registered Principal Approval for Advertisements, Sales Literature and Independently Prepared Reprints
(A) A registered principal of the member must approve by signature or initial and date each advertisement, item of sales literature and independently prepared reprint before the earlier of its use or filing with NASD's Advertising Regulation Department ("Department").
(B) With respect to debt and equity securities that are the subject of research reports as that term is defined in Rule 472 of the New York Stock Exchange, the requirements of paragraph (A) may be met by the signature or initial of a supervisory analyst approved pursuant to Rule 344 of the New York Stock Exchange.
(C) A registered principal qualified to supervise security futures activities must approve by signature or initial and date each advertisement or item of sales literature concerning security futures.
(D) The requirements of paragraph (A) shall not apply with regard to any advertisement, item of sales literature, or independently prepared reprint if, at the time that a member intends to publish or distribute it:
(i) another member has filed it with the Department and has received a letter from the Department stating that it appears to be consistent with applicable standards; and
(ii) the member using it in reliance upon this paragraph has not materially altered it and will not use it in a manner that is inconsistent with the conditions of the Department's letter.
(2) Record-keeping
(A) Members must maintain all advertisements, sales literature, and independently prepared reprints in a separate file for a period beginning on the date of first use and ending three years from the date of last use. The file must include:
(i) a copy of the advertisement, item of sales literature or independently prepared reprint, and the dates of first and (if applicable) last use of such material;
(ii) the name of the registered principal who approved each advertisement, item of sales literature, and independently prepared reprint and the date that approval was given, unless such approval is not required pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(D); and
(iii) for any advertisement, item of sales literature or independently prepared reprint for which principal approval is not required pursuant to paragraph (b)(1)(D), the name of the member that filed the advertisement, sales literature or independently prepared reprint with the Department, and a copy of the corresponding review letter from the Department.
(B) Members must maintain in a file information concerning the source of any statistical table, chart, graph or other illustration used by the member in communications with the public.
(c) Filing Requirements and Review Procedures
(1) Date of First Use and Approval Information
The member must provide with each filing under this paragraph the actual or anticipated date of first use, the name and title of the registered principal who approved the advertisement or sales literature, and the date that the approval was given.
(2) Requirement to File Certain Material
Within 10 business days of first use or publication, a member must file the following communications with the Department:
(A) Advertisements and sales literature concerning registered investment companies (including mutual funds, variable contracts, continuously offered closed-end funds, and unit investment trusts) not included within the requirements of paragraph (c)(3). The filing of any advertisement or sales literature that includes or incorporates a performance ranking or performance comparison of the investment company with other investment companies must include a copy of the ranking or comparison used in the advertisement or sales literature.
(B) Advertisements and sales literature concerning public direct participation programs (as defined in Rule 2810).
(C) Advertisements concerning government securities (as defined in Section 3(a)(42) of the Act).
(D) any template for written reports produced by, or advertisements and sales literature concerning, an investment analysis tool, as such term is defined in Rule IM-2210-6.
(3) Sales Literature Containing Bond Fund Volatility Ratings
Sales literature concerning bond mutual funds that include or incorporate bond mutual fund volatility ratings, as defined in Rule IM-2210-5, shall be filed with the Department for review at least 10 business days prior to use (or such shorter period as the Department may allow in particular circumstances) for approval and, if changed by NASD, shall be withheld from publication or circulation until any changes specified by NASD have been made or, if expressly disapproved, until the sales literature has been refiled for, and has received, NASD approval. Members are not required to file advertising and sales literature which have previously been filed and which are used without change. The member must provide with each filing the actual or anticipated date of first use. Any member filing sales literature pursuant to this paragraph shall provide any supplemental information requested by the Department pertaining to the rating that is possessed by the member.
(4) Requirement to File Certain Material Prior to Use
At least 10 business days prior to first use or publication (or such shorter period as the Department may allow), a member must file the following communications with the Department and withhold them from publication or circulation until any changes specified by the Department have been made:
(A) Advertisements and sales literature concerning registered investment companies (including mutual funds, variable contracts, continuously offered closed-end funds and unit investment trusts) that include or incorporate performance rankings or performance comparisons of the investment company with other investment companies when the ranking or comparison category is not generally published or is the creation, either directly or indirectly, of the investment company, its underwriter or an affiliate. Such filings must include a copy of the data on which the ranking or comparison is based.
(B) Advertisements concerning collateralized mortgage obligations.
(C) Advertisements concerning security futures.
(5) Requirement for Certain Members to File Material Prior to Use
(A) Each member that has not previously filed advertisements with the Department (or with a registered securities exchange having standards comparable to those contained in this Rule) must file its initial advertisement with the Department at least 10 business days prior to use and shall continue to file its advertisements at least 10 business days prior to use for a period of one year.
(B) Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the Department, upon review of a member's advertising and/or sales literature, and after determining that the member has departed from the standards of this Rule, may require that such member file all advertising and/or sales literature, or the portion of such member's material which is related to any specific types or classes of securities or services, with the Department, at least 10 business days prior to use. The Department will notify the member in writing of the types of material to be filed and the length of time such requirement is to be in effect. Any filing requirement imposed under this paragraph will take effect 21 calendar days after service of the written notice, during which time the member may request a hearing under Rules 9551 and 9559.
(6) Filing of Television or Video Advertisements
If a member has filed a draft version or "story board" of a television or video advertisement pursuant to a filing requirement, then the member also must file the final filmed version within 10 business days of first use or broadcast.
(7) Spot-Check Procedures
In addition to the foregoing requirements, each member's written and electronic communications with the public may be subject to a spot-check procedure. Upon written request from the Department, each member must submit the material requested in a spot-check procedure within the time frame specified by the Department.
(8) Exclusions from Filing Requirements
The following types of material are excluded from the filing requirements and (except for the material in paragraphs (G) through (J)) the foregoing spot-check procedures:
(A) Advertisements and sales literature that previously have been filed and that are to be used without material change.
(B) Advertisements and sales literature solely related to recruitment or changes in a member's name, personnel, electronic or postal address, ownership, offices, business structure, officers or partners, telephone or teletype numbers, or concerning a merger with, or acquisition by, another member.
(C) Advertisements and sales literature that do no more than identify a national securities exchange symbol of the member or identify a security for which the member is a registered market maker.
(D) Advertisements and sales literature that do no more than identify the member or offer a specific security at a stated price.
(E) Prospectuses, preliminary prospectuses, fund profiles, offering circulars and similar documents that have been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") or any state, or that is exempt from such registration, except that an investment company prospectus published pursuant to SEC Rule 482 under the Securities Act of 1933 will not be considered a prospectus for purposes of this exclusion.
(F) Advertisements prepared in accordance with Section 2(10)(b) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or any rule thereunder, such as SEC Rule 134, and announcements as a matter of record that a member has participated in a private placement, unless the advertisements are related to direct participation programs or securities issued by registered investment companies.
(G) Press releases that are made available only to members of the media.
(H) Independently prepared reprints.
(I) Correspondence.
(J) Institutional sales material.
Although the material described in paragraphs (c)(8)(G) through (J) is excluded from the foregoing filing requirements, investment company communications described in those paragraphs shall be deemed filed with NASD for purposes of Section 24(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and Rule 24b-3 thereunder.
(9) Material that refers to investment company securities, direct participation programs, or exempted securities (as defined in Section 3(a)(12) of the Act) solely as part of a listing of products or services offered by the member, is excluded from the requirements of paragraphs (c)(2) and (c)(4).
(10) Pursuant to the Rule 9600 Series, NASD may exempt a member or person associated with a member from the pre-filing requirements of this paragraph (c) for good cause shown.
(d) Content Standards
(1) Standards Applicable to All Communications with the Public
(A) All member communications with the public shall be based on principles of fair dealing and good faith, must be fair and balanced, and must provide a sound basis for evaluating the facts in regard to any particular security or type of security, industry, or service. No member may omit any material fact or qualification if the omission, in the light of the context of the material presented, would cause the communications to be misleading.
(B) No member may make any false, exaggerated, unwarranted or misleading statement or claim in any communication with the public. No member may publish, circulate or distribute any public communication that the member knows or has reason to know contains any untrue statement of a material fact or is otherwise false or misleading.
(C) Information may be placed in a legend or footnote only in the event that such placement would not inhibit an investor's understanding of the communication.
(D) Communications with the public may not predict or project performance, imply that past performance will recur or make any exaggerated or unwarranted claim, opinion or forecast. A hypothetical illustration of mathematical principles is permitted, provided that it does not predict or project the performance of an investment or investment strategy.
(E) If any testimonial in a communication with the public concerns a technical aspect of investing, the person making the testimonial must have the knowledge and experience to form a valid opinion.
(2) Standards Applicable to Advertisements and Sales Literature
(A) Advertisements or sales literature providing any testimonial concerning the investment advice or investment performance of a member or its products must prominently disclose the following:
(i) The fact that the testimonial may not be representative of the experience of other clients.
(ii) The fact that the testimonial is no guarantee of future performance or success.
(iii) If more than a nominal sum is paid, the fact that it is a paid testimonial.
(B) Any comparison in advertisements or sales literature between investments or services must disclose all material differences between them, including (as applicable) investment objectives, costs and expenses, liquidity, safety, guarantees or insurance, fluctuation of principal or return, and tax features.
(C) All advertisements and sales literature must:
(i) prominently disclose the name of the member and may also include a fictional name by which the member is commonly recognized or which is required by any state or jurisdiction;
(ii) reflect any relationship between the member and any non-member or individual who is also named; and
(iii) if it includes other names, reflect which products or services are being offered by the member.
This paragraph (C) does not apply to so-called "blind" advertisements used to recruit personnel.
(3) Disclosure of Fees, Expenses and Standardized Performance
(A) Communications with the public, other than institutional sales material and public appearances, that present non-money market fund open-end management investment company performance data as permitted by Rule 482 under the Securities Act of 1933 and Rule 34b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 must disclose:
(i) the standardized performance information mandated by Rule 482 and Rule 34b-1; and
(ii) to the extent applicable:
a. the maximum sales charge imposed on purchases or the maximum deferred sales charge, as stated in the investment company's prospectus current as of the date of submission of an advertisement for publication, or as of the date of distribution of other communications with the public; and
b. the total annual fund operating expense ratio, gross of any fee waivers or expense reimbursements, as stated in the fee table of the investment company's prospectus described in paragraph (a).
(B) All of the information required by paragraph (A) must be set forth prominently, and in any print advertisement, in a prominent text box that contains only the required information and, at the member's option, comparative performance and fee data and disclosures required by Rule 482 and Rule 34b-1.
(e) Violation of Other Rules
Any violation by a member of any rule of the SEC, the Securities Investor Protection Corporation or the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board applicable to member communications with the public will be deemed a violation of this Rule 2210.
Cross Reference—
SEC Rules Concerning Investment Company Sales Literature and Advertising (SEC Rules and Regulation T Tab).
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Amended by SR-FINRA-2008-044 eff. Feb. 5, 2009. Amended by SR-FINRA-2007-020 eff. March 26, 2008. Amended by SR-NASD-2004-043 eff. April 1, 2007. Amended by SR-NASD-2006-105 eff. Sept. 7, 2006. Amended by SR-NASD-2005-087 eff. Aug. 1, 2006. Amended by SR-NASD-2003-110 eff. June 28, 2004. Amended by SR-NASD-2000-12 and SR-NASD-2003-94 eff. Nov. 3, 2003. Amended by SR-NASD-2002-40 eff. Oct. 15, 2002. Amended by SR-NASD-98-32 eff. April 1, 2000. Amended by SR-NASD-98-57 eff. March 26, 1999. Amended by SR-NASD-98-29 eff. Nov. 16, 1998. Amended by SR-NASD-98-28 eff. July 15, 1998. Amended by SR-NASD-97-28 eff. Aug. 7, 1997. Amended by SR-NASD-97-33 eff. May 9, 1997. Amended by SR-NASD-95-39 eff. Aug. 20, 1996. Amended by SR-NASD-95-12 eff. Aug. 9, 1995. Amended by SR-NASD-93-66 eff. Mar. 17, 1994. Amended by SR-NASD-92-53 eff. July 1, 1993. Amended eff. Aug. 2, 1983; June 5, 1987; July 1, 1988; Nov. 28, 1988; June 26, 1990; Mar. 27, 1991; Sept. 13, 1991; Nov. 16, 1992. Selected Notices: 98-83, 99-16, 00-15, 00-22, 03-38, 04-36, 06-48, 09-10. |