Michelle Obama on Food Marketing & Advertising to Children - Speech (2013)

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• published: 17 Oct 2013
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Advertising to children is the act of marketing or advertising products or services to children, as defined by national legislation and advertising standards. It is often the subject of debate, relating to the alleged influence on children's consumption. Laws concerning such advertisements have largely evolved in recent years. In most countries, advertising for children is framed by a mix of legislation and advertising self-regulation. In many countries worldwide, advertising is also governed by self-regulatory codes of conduct. Advertisers, advertising agencies and the media agree on a code of advertising standards -- a set of ethical and behavioural rules they commit to respecting -- which is enforced by a Self-regulatory organization, often an independent industry-funded body, responsible for drafting, amending and enforcing the code. Self-regulatory organizations for advertising are increasingly following the best practice model agreed with regulators and consumer and public health groups in Europe.[6] At a minimum, the general aim of self-regulatory codes is to ensure that any advertising is 'legal, decent, honest and truthful', but in most countries detailed rules are in place for different advertising techniques and sectors. Advertising self-regulation is built on different levels. On a global level, the International Chamber of Commerce has drafted a global code on marketing communications.[7] All forms of marketing communications worldwide must conform to the ICC Consolidated Code on Advertising and Marketing.[8] The code includes a specific section, detailing the special care needed when communicating with children. Since 2006, a global code of practice on food marketing communications is also in place. The Framework for Responsible Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Marketing Communications of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC)[9] sets down global requirements for food and beverage marketing communications on all media, including the Internet.[10] Key provisions include: the need for substantiation for claims or health benefits; no encouragement of excess consumption; no representation of snacks as meals; no undermining of healthy lifestyle messages; no undermining of the role of parents. These codes provide a minimum requirement for marketing communications worldwide. National self-regulatory codes, based on the ICC codes, are established, policed and enforced by local Self-Regulatory Organisations (SROs) and industry in over 100 countries and apply to a range of media, increasingly also including digital marketing communications. The ICC and national codes are reviewed regularly to ensure that they remain relevant to local, cultural and consumer concerns and that they promote best practice. The ICC Framework is applicable globally but is a minimum standard designed to be adapted and transposed into SR codes at national level. Many countries have implemented SR provisions that use the ICC Framework as a basis, but go further in several respects, depending on local considerations. Examples include Australia,[11] Brazil,[12] Canada,[13] Chile,[14] France,[15] Ireland,[16] The Netherlands,[17] New Zealand,[18] Spain,[19] the UK[20] and the USA.[21] In the United States the Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) established in 1974 by the National Advertising Review Council (NARC) runs a self-regulatory program that includes a prescreening service for advertisers to ensure they are in compliance with COPPA and the CARU guidelines. In addition to industry-wide self-regulation, individual companies and industry sectors have introduced a wide range of additional provisions relating to marketing communications directed at children. For example, most multinational food and beverage companies have developed their own policies on food and beverage marketing communications to children and, most recently, have announced the joint implementation of these individual commitments. In July 2007, 10 of these companies (now 13) announced a common pledge in the US -- the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative,[22] mirroring a similar initiative by 15 companies in Canada -- the Canadian Children's Food & Beverage Advertising Initiative;[13] and followed by 11 companies in Europe with the EU Pledge.[23] Under these initiatives, participating companies will cease advertising to children under 12, other than products that meet specific nutritional guidelines, based on international scientific recommendations. A similar Pledge programme was launched by leading food companied in Thailand in May 2008 and in Australia in mid-2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marketing_to_children