Advertising industry pledges action on children
The advertising industry has adopted new guidelines restricting the employment of under 16s as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing. The guidelines were developed by the AA Children's Panel in consultation with the wider industry.
17 brands have signed a Pledge that was presented to Prime Minister David Cameron on the 11th October at a summit on industry responses to the the Bailey Review's report, "Letting Children be Children". The guidelines have been incorporated into the codes of trade associations including WOMMA, DMA, MRS, MBG, PRCA, UKIE, IPM and the BTHA, and are endorsed by the AA, IPA, ISBA, CIPR and Facebook.
Mark Lund, former CEO of the Central Office of Information and chair of the Children's Panel, said: “Bailey recognised that the commercial world has much to offer children and families, but that we need to ensure we observe sensible guidelines in the way we interact with them. These measures will help industry do just that.”
The pledge states that:“Young people under the age of 16 should not be employed and directly or indirectly paid or paid-in-kind to actively promote brands, products, goods, services, causes or ideas to their peers, associates or friends.”
It is designed to address concerns raised by the Bailey Review and echoed by the Prime Minister over the "commercialisation" of children's relationships through their employment in marketing activity.
The engagement of the advertising industry in the Review was welcomed by Reg Bailey, and the industry is committed to ensuring that advertising remains responsibly practised. Going forward, the AA anticipates wider industry sign-up to the Pledge and an end to the already rare practice of employing 16s in a way which commercialises their relationships with peers.
Read the pledge...
Read the press release...
Latest on the Bailey Review
The final report of the Bailey Review - "Letting Children be Children" - was presented to Parliament and published in June 2011.
The report was broadly supportive of the advertising industry, applauding the work of the ASA and describing current work to protect children as "heartening".
However, Bailey noted several areas where he would like to see changes, with particular focus on sexualised imagery in out-of-home advertising, brand ambassadors and peer-to-peer marketing using under-16s, defining the age-of-a-child, increasing awareness and understanding of "newer" advertising techniques amongst both parents and children, and increasing the influence parents have on advertising regulation.
The industry takes the protection of children and responsible marketing extremely seriously and - in conjunction with the ASA - has responded positively and constructively to the Bailey Review recommendations. Mark Lund,
Chair of the Advertising Association’s Children’s Panel, will this week present
to Prime Minister David Cameron new guidelines preventing children aged under
16 from being employed to act as brand ambassadors or in peer-to-peer marketing
campaigns.
The
industry will also outline new actions to restrict the use of sexualised
imagery in outdoor media – particularly near schools – and plans to provide better
information to parents on digital marketing techniques.
Read our report...
Read the Bailey Report, Letting Children be Children...
Read the press release on the new industry panel...
Read the press release on Mark Lund being appointed to Chair the ad industry Children's Panel...
Read the press release on the panel members...