Advertising to Children 1MIT 3214 – March 1, 2010 MIT March 1, 2010 Kyle Asquith, PhD Candidate

Advertising to Children Children represent three distinct advertising audiences: 1.Direct purchasers. 2.Purchase influencers. 3.Future branded consumers. MIT 3214 – March 1, 20102

Early Children’s Advertising – Radio Era Clubs, contests, and premiums. Consumer socialization. Example: H-O Oats’ Bobby Benson MIT 3214 – March 1, 20103

4 Wrigley’s Chief Lone Wolf Tribe Club – 1934.

Television Era Post-war economic expansion. Toy industry grows: Mattel founded in 1945; first Toys R Us opened in Mickey Mouse Club, Howdy Doody, Roy Rogers. Mattel Burp Gun Roy Rogers – Sugar Crisp MIT 3214 – March 1, 20105

Role of Parents Parents as mediators, gatekeepers. Appeals to the values of parents, esp. gender roles. Children as sales agents – pitching to parents, but without “pestering.” Child improvement ethos. MIT 3214 – March 1, 20106

1980s-1990s Boom De-regulation. Emergence of “program-length commercials.” For example: He-Man, Care Bears, My Little Pony. Product licensing and character marketing. New media options: Nickelodeon, YTV. Competition from other media: video games, Internet. MIT 3214 – March 1, 20107

Social / Demographic Factors 1980s affluence. Baby boom echo generation. Women in labour force = guilt money. Divorce rates = guilt money. Longer life spans = “six-pocket kids.” “Skippies,” “Tweens.” MIT 3214 – March 1, 20108

Bratz and Promotional Culture Integrated, multi-media, multi-platform marketing. Corporate synergy. Promotional culture. Consumer socialization, beyond Barbie. MIT 3214 – March 1, 20109

From Gatekeeper to Anti-adultism Parents positioned in a different manner. Consumer culture a place where “kids rule”—mischief and rebellion celebrated. Examples: – Planet Lunch Planet Lunch – Chips Ahoy Chips Ahoy – Post Cereal Post Cereal MIT 3214 – March 1,

Anti-adultism and Fun Foods Pester power, anti-adultism, and distancing “food foods” from “adult foods.” Pitting kids against parents. Product packaging: fun food communicated by shape, colour, packaging, graphics, etc. In all areas of supermarket. MIT 3214 – March 1,

MIT 3214 – March 1,

Food and In-School Advertising Sponsored educational materials (SEMs). Exclusive pouring rights. Incentive programs: for example, Pizza Hut “BookIt!” or McDonald’s Seminole Country Florida report cards. MIT 3214 – March 1,

MIT 3214 – March 1,

Food Industry Responses Method 1: Internal standards/guidelines. Cadbury Canada “Marketing Code of Practice,” Campbell Soup “Global Guidelines for Responsible Advertising to Children,” Kellogg “Worldwide Marketing and Communication Guidelines,” etc. MIT 3214 – March 1,

Industry Responses Method 2: Product innovations and healthy choices. Discourse of “innovations.” Product labeling practices: for example, Kraft’s “Sensible Solutions” or PepsiCo’s “Smart Spot” icons. MIT 3214 – March 1,

Industry Responses Method 3: Corporate philanthropy. General Mills “Champions for Healthy Kids Grants” or “Presidential Active Lifestyle Awards.” Hershey Track and Field Games. MIT 3214 – March 1,

Industry Responses Method 4: Blame parents as gatekeepers. Asserting the role of parents as gatekeepers. Food advertisers can only “support” parents and caregivers in this regard. MIT 3214 – March 1,

Quebec Consumer Protection Act Effective April 30, First such law of the twentieth century. Advertising to persons under 13 prohibited. Whether or not an advertisement targets someone under 13 is determined by: type of goods advertised, tone/how presented; time and place shown. Exceptions: promotions for children’s shows, in-store and display advertising. Supreme Court challenge in 1989 by Irwin Toy. MIT 3214 – March 1,

ASC Children’s Code Advertising Standards Canada (ASC). Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children developed in early 1970s out of fear of government regulation. Advertising Standards Canada, the Canadian advertising industry self-regulatory body, enforces the code. CRTC requires that all broadcast advertisements be pre- cleared by the ASC, based on the Children’s Code. MIT 3214 – March 1,

OWL Magazine Founded by non-profit group: Young Naturalist Foundation Purchased by Bayard in 1997 Shift from nature, animal and science magazine to consumer magazine Comparison 1982, 1992, 2002 MIT March 9,

OWL Informational Content MIT March 9,

OWL Instructional Content MIT March 9,