CAP to issue guidance on marketing to children

The UK’s Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) is publishing new guidance on the use of children as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing in the first quarter of 2013. The Guidance will offer a framework for industry to ensure responsible use of such techniques. The Guidance will make it clear that using children as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing is subject to the CAP Code and will clarify that any activity must:

• Do nothing that is likely to result in physical, mental or moral harm to children
• Be obvious that it is a marketing activity
• Not make children feel unpopular or inferior if they do not have a certain product or don’t take part in peer to peer marketing
• Be prepared with a sense of social responsibility.

CAP review on marketing to children
The decision to produce new guidance for marketers and advertisers follows a year-long review into the use of children as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing. “In the online world, there is considerable potential for the boundary between advertising and non-advertising content to become blurred,” the review said.

However, the review found that it would be disproportionate to consult on adding a rule to the CAP Code to ban the use of under-16s as brand ambassadors or in peer-to-peer marketing. This question was posed by the Bailey review into the commercialisation and sexualisation of childhood and asked CAP and other advertising and marketing bodies to consider imposing a ban.

In October 2011, the Industry Pledge, not to use under-16s in this type of marketing activity was signed by many brands and trade associations in the industry. Taking into account the impact of the Pledge and other available evidence, CAP decided against a ban but will issue guidance on the responsible use of such marketing techniques.

Read the CAP review in full.

Janine Paterson, DMA Solicitor, 020 7291 3360.