# Letting Children be Children/Theme 3

Published by the Department of Education in London.
​THEME 3
Children as Consumers
   "...a parent's job is made considerably more difficult by the constant bombardment of advertising and the pressure on children to be, do and have a bewildering variety of products and experiences ranging from music, games and clothes to holidays and outings. Even if this does not reach one's own child directly, it inevitably reaches them indirectly by means of peer pressure."
   Parent, Call for Evidence response
​Overview
* We all live in a commercial world and children are under pressure from a range of sources to act as consumers.
* We do not want to cut children off from the commercial world completely as we believe that it brings benefits and parents tell us that they want to manage the issue themselves, supported by proportionate regulation and responsible businesses.
* While adults may understand that companies might look to 'push the boundaries' when advertising to them, children are especially vulnerable and need to be given special consideration.
* Special measures already exist in advertising and marketing regulations to protect children but some gaps exist.
* Regulators cannot realistically be expected to anticipate detailed developments in the new media. However, an absence of regulation does not absolve businesses from acting responsibly by themselves.
WHAT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE
That the regulations protecting children from excessive commercial pressures are comprehensive, effective across all media and in line with parental expectations.
That marketers do not attempt to exploit any gaps in advertising regulation in order to unduly influence the choices children make as consumers.
That parents and children have a sound awareness and understanding of marketing techniques and regulation.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Prohibiting the employment of children as brand ambassadors and in peer-to-peer marketing. The Committee ofAdvertising Practice and other advertising and marketing bodies should urgently explore whether, as many parents believe, the advertising self—regulatory codes should prohibit the employment of children under the age of 16 as brand ambassadors or in peer—to—peer marketing – where people are
Introduction
Children are also living increasingly 'media—saturated' lives, inevitably being exposed to an increasing volume of advertising and marketing as they watch television, go online, use mobile phones and smart phones, or play video games (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: Commercial Media Clock of a school day, ages 5-16 (self-reported)
Source: Childwise, the Monitor Report 2010-11, Children's media use and purchasing. (Reproduced in Advertising Association, 2011)
Against this backdrop, the concerns of parents and others we heard from during this Review included:
* social pressures on parents, peer pressure and 'pester power', as well as the volume of advertising and marketing;
* the effectiveness of current advertising regulation;
* inappropriate advertising aimed at (or seen by) children; and
* 'new' marketing techniques (especially those that use new technology).
Pressure to consume: peers, 'pester power' and parents
"It is the cacophony of advertising messages everywhere that make it hard to escape."
Parent, Call for Evidence response
However, some of this pressure is felt by children and parents more indirectly in the form of social pressure to conform to certain norms. Alongside factors such as value for money, educational qualities, and the longer—term potential for enjoyment and use of particular products, previous research (Phoenix, 2011), our Call for Evidence and our qualitative ​research suggest that key motivations for parents to buy non—essential items for their children are the desire to be seen by other parents as a good provider and for their children to have the same things and opportunities as their peers, or to prevent them from being teased or bullied.
"I feel pressure from other parents, like – that parent's done it, why haven't I and should I do it?"
"Sometimes if I 'm at work and I'm feeling guilty because I 'm at work... Then I might buy something. I'm guilty of purchasing things because of that."
Parents, Review qualitative research
"My eldest's school shoes and coat were bought out of us worrying that he may be bullied if it wasn't the right look."
"The problem is that parents sometimes feel the peer pressure too and often feel almost forced to buy certain products because other parents are. They feel like bad parents if they don't."
Parents, Call for Evidence response
It is also clear that the persistence with which children ask for things is another influence (Phoenix, 2011). Children and young people freely acknowledge their use of 'pester power':
* Nearly a third (32 per cent) of children in the omnibus survey for the Review say that if they really want something and they know their parents do not want them to buy it, they will always keep on asking until their parents let them have it. More than half (52 per cent) say they sometimes do this and only 15 per cent said they never do (Figure 8).
* Over three quarters of children and young people who responded to a survey run by the Children and Young People's Advisory Group of the Office of the Children's Commissioner (Children's Commissioner and Amplify, 2011) thought that children and young people put pressure on their parents to buy things for them.
​Figure 8: Children's use of ‘pester power’ (self-reported)
If you really want something and you know your parents don't want you to buy it, do you ever keep on asking for it until they let you have it?
Source:TNS Omnibus Survey, 2011 Weighted base: 520 children aged 7-16 in Great Britain
"If you don't have something other young people will make fun out of you or you feel left out when everyone else is using it."
"People want to fit in with their friends and don't want to feel left out."
Young people, Office of the Children's Commissioner for England survey
Figure 9: Factors influencing children's choice of clothes, toys and gadgets
Thinking about when you go shopping for clothes, toys or gadgets, which of the following things help you decide which ones to choose?
Source:TNS Omnibus Survey, 2011 Weighted base: 520 children aged 7-16 in Great Britain
This echoes the views of children taking part in focus groups as part of the research for a report to the Scottish Parliament, who considered peer pressure to be much greater than pressure from stores or manufacturers or through images of celebrities:
"Both for boys and girls, having the 'right stuff'–in the form of branded goods, with labels and logos clearly displayed–was critically important in terms of self-image and peer group status."
Buckingham, Willett, Bragg, and Russell, 2010
"Whilst talking about this to parents, many have said they buy things in order for their children not to feel left out. I feel that many parents would like to know what other parents do in these situations."
"I do often check in with other parents as to what they are being asked for and what boundaries they are willing to enforce."
"You have a choice as a parent, as an adult. If you don't like it, don't let them (have it)."
Parents, Call for Evidence response
"I am still old fashioned enough to think that the primary responsibility for the actual purchases remains with the parents who can just say no. But others can make the pester power less powerful."
Parent, Call for Evidence response
"The advertisers say they don't target children, but they do."
Parents, Review qualitative research
"Parents do say no. They say no, you can't stay up late. No, you can't eat pudding before your main course. No, you can't have a dog. Setting boundaries is what parents do. It's tough sometimes... and I need to ask if the advertising industry are comfortable spending millions of pounds targeting children direct and then saying it's down to mum and dad to stand up to them?"
Parent, quoted in Keep, 2004
"We know they have to work by certain standards and rules, [advertising] doesn't bother us too much – there won't be a kid with a cigarette in her hand. So knowing there are those rules and standards makes you worry less about it.
Parent, Review qualitative research
Effectiveness of existing advertising regulation
Some international approaches to protecting children through advertising regulation
In Australia the issues of commercialisation and sexualisation of children have been the subject of much debate in the last few years and in 2008, following consultation with industry and the public, the Code for Advertising and Marketing Communications for Children was revised, introducing a new code covering sexualisation. Another significant change to the Code was that adverts should not encourage children to pester their parents to buy a particular product – something already included in the UK Advertising Codes. In 2009 a practice guide was published to help advertisers across all media to ensure the protection of children and young people.
Canada is considered to have a highly developed system of codes and standards for responsible advertising to children. Two systems are in operation: one in French—speaking Quebec, where state regulation bans commercial advertising to children under 13 completely, and one covering the other five English—speaking provinces of Canada, where there is a strong system of self—regulation, including pre—clearance of all broadcast adverts aimed at children. However the ban in Quebec on directing commercial advertising to children under 13 years does not apply to signals originating from outside Quebec that are retransmitted by cable TV companies, such as advertising from the English—speaking provinces and the US, and there is limited evidence of the ban’s effectiveness.
In Norway, the government has implemented a number of recommendations designed to reduce the commercial pressure on young people, and to equip children and their parents with the skills to help them understand commercial information and to withstand commercial pressures. As in Quebec, there is a ban on advertising to children under 13 years of age 'by wire or over the air' and advertising is not permitted in schools.
A Consumer Ombudsman aims to initiate discussion with advertisers, media and others, promotes guidelines about appropriate advertising to children and acts as a point of contact for complaints about marketing to children as well as a watchdog for violations of the law.
Norway, too, however is finding it difficult to make national arrangements in a globalised arena. International channels and Norwegian channels broadcast from abroad (including the UK) are able to broadcast adverts to children in Norway. There is also commercial pressure through spin—off products related to popular programmes – for instance in the absence of advertising, some programme content for children now functions like extended commercials or TV character merchandise.
Source: Statham, Mooney and Phoenix, 2011
"It's natural. The companies have a responsibility to sell that product so they will sell it at the limit, almost crossing the line."
Parent, Review qualitative research
RECOMMENDATION
Inappropriate advertising
'New' marketing techniques
"Technology is moving faster than our ability to regulate it. So we as businesses can't really wait for regulation before we do the right thing."
Business contributor to the Review
"I think internet advertising is really the worst as it completely bypasses any parental supervision."
Parent, Call for Evidence response
Newer advertising and marketing techniques
Peer-to-peer marketing
Peer-to-peer marketing is about incentivising people (through offering a reward of payment or 'free gifts' of goods or services) to market brands to their peers, rather than the advertisers talking directly to people. Marketers use 'peer—to—peer/word—of—mouth' techniques in traditional media as well as online, such as in 'tell a friend' promotions. Marketers also often seek to earn the endorsement of consumers without offering a reward.
Brand ambassadors
A brand ambassador is someone engaged by a brand or agency to promote or present a brand or product to others. This has traditionally involved celebrities or sportspeople acting as the public face of the brand, but a brand ambassador can be anyone being paid to promote a product to others, even for example their friends and family. The advertiser effectively employs the person as they would a traditional advertising medium like TV or Radio.
Advergames
Advergames broadly take the form of an interactive game, featuring a brand, product, good or service.They are hosted both on brands’ own websites and external sites, as well as mobile phone applications and are subject to advertising regulations.
Online behavioural advertising (OBA)
Advertising on the internet is increasingly targeted and one of the ways this can be done is based upon user interests or behaviour. This is achieved when user interests are collected from web browsing activity over a period of time.
Behavioural advertising or interest—based advertising is intended to make display advertising that is more relevant to users’ likely interests. Providers of behavioural advertising create audience segments based on web sites visited over a period of time with a particular browser. These audience segments are then used to provide relevant advertising to users within that segment. For example, a user may visit golf sites often and thus be categorised in the ‘golf enthusiasts’ segment. Some businesses now offer this in real time without the need to create a specific audience segment.
Sources: IAB (2), 201 1;Advertising Association, 2011
Figure 10: Parents’ views of marketing and advertising tools
Do you think that any of these marketing and advertising tools should NOT be used when promoting products to children?
Source:TNS Omnibus Survey, 2011 Weighted base: 1199 parents in the UK
Peer-to-peer marketing and brand ambassadors
Peer-to-peer marketing might be done online or face to face, and it draws on the long-recognised power of word of mouth to get a marketing message across. Word-of-mouth marketing amplifies and monetises the natural and spontaneous urge we have to tell our friends about the products and services we like.The Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA) describes it this way:
Word of Mouth Marketing Association
I don't like that peer-to-peer stuff or using my children.
That peer-to-peer thing is extremely worrying, that is morally wrong isn't it...
Parents, Review qualitative research
Online behavioural advertising
The Best Practice Recommendation will be rolled out over the next twelve months via national industry associations and self—regulatory organisations, such as the ASA, and by mid 2012 it is foreseen that 70 per cent of all member nations will have implemented it.
RECOMMENDATIONS
​Media and commercial literacy
As the assessment by Professor David Buckingham and colleagues found (DCSF/DCMS, 2009), it is not possible to say unequivocally that children are, in all circumstances, either 'vulnerable' or 'savvy': how children respond to commercial messages depends on the context. The assessment concluded that children's consumer socialisation should be considered in terms of social as well as cognitive capabilities:
DCSF/DCMS, 2009
"If I stand on a pin, the nerves in my foot send a message through my nervous System to ten my brain I am experiencing Pain and to lift my foot. Knowing how the media works is like that. I understand how the System works, but it doesn't stop it hurting."
15 year-old girl in conversation Reg Bailey
CASE STUDY: IMPROVING PARENTS’ MEDIA LITERACY IN ARGENTINA
In partnership with the media industry,Argentina’s Ministry of Education has created a national media education programme.This is designed to increase the ability of children and young people to understand and interpret messages in the media, and to help parents guide their children's relationship with the media.
Booklets for parents have been produced and distributed as inserts in popular newspapers – all funded by industry. ‘TVin the Family’, for instance, answered some frequent questions and concerns that parents have about children and television along with helpful advice to help parents discuss television with their children. 'Internet in the Family' contained tips and recommendations for safer internet use, enabling parents to provide guidance to their children when surfing the internet. Both campaigns were funded by companies in the media and communication industries, and supported by television adverts, radio discussions and an online discussion forum.
Source: Ministry of Education,Argentina
​RECOMMENDATIONS
Quality assurance for media and commercial literacy resources and education for children. These resources should always include education to help children develop their emotional resilience to the commercial and sexual pressures that today's world places on them. Providers should commission independent evaluation of their provision, not solely measuring take—up but, crucially, to assess its effectiveness. Those bodies with responsibilities for promoting media literacy, including Ofcom and the BBC, should encourage the development of minimum