Advertising to children
DETERMINATIONTRANSPORT EDUCATORS TRANSPARENCY COMMUNICATING
UNITING REPORTS CONSUMERS COMMUNICATING ACCESSIBLE LIAISING
ACCOUNTABILITY STANDARDS INTERNET RELIABLE GOVERNMENT
AANA Code for Advertising and Marketing Communications to Children ( Children ’ s Code )
The provisions of the Children ’ s Code apply only to advertising which is directed primarily to children ( taking into account the theme , visuals , and language used in the advertisement ) and which is for products that are targeted towards or of principal appeal to children . The Children ’ s Code applies to all products that are targeted towards or of principal appeal to children – not just food .
In 2015 there were eight advertisements that specifically raised issues under the Children ’ s Code . Of these , five were advertisements for food products . No complaints were upheld under the Children ’ s Code in 2015 .
ADVERTISERS RESPONSIVE MEMBERS TELEVISION INITIATIVES ACCOUNTABILITY
POSTERS COMMUNITY DETERMINATION OUTDOOR INDEPENDENT PEOPLE
TRANSPARENCY RADIO COMPLAINT PARTNERING SELF-REGULATE
LIAISING COMPLAINT DETERMINATION CONSOLIDATING
ACCOUNTABILITY COMMUNITY EDUCATING SELF-REGULATE
MERGING COMMUNICATING SOCIAL MEDIA
TELEVISION COOPERATING ACCOUNTABILITY
STANDARDS ADVERTISERS BILLBOARDS
TRANSPORT AUTHORITY POSTERS
Review of Operations 2015
BILLBOARDS PARTNERING
INDEPENDENT
SELF-REGULATE
BONDING
Scope of the Chilren ’ s Code
The Children ’ s Code only applies to advertisements for children ’ s products . In 2015 the Board considered a number of advertisements not to fall withing the Children ’ s Code as they were not an advertisement for a children ’ s product :
• Advertisements for products which were considered by the Board to not be children ’ s products and therefore the Children ’ s Code did not apply ( Frucor Beverages Australia - 0171 / 15 ; Tabcorp – 0298 / 15 ; Mondelez Australia Pty Ltd – 0375 / 15 ; and Yum Restaurants International – 0382 / 15 ).
• An advertisement for a country racing day which included activities for children , such as face painting , raised concerns that it was making gambling attractive for children . The Board found that the theme , visuals and language in the advertisement were not directed primarily to children , and therefore the Children ’ s Code did not apply ( Country Racing Victoria – 0042 / 15 ).
Section 2.1 - Prevailing Community Standards
Section 2.1 of the Children ’ s Code states :
Advertising or Marketing Communications to Children must not contravene Prevailing Community Standards .
In 2015 two cases were considered under this Section of the Children ’ s Code . The Board determined :
• Advertisements for products of low nutritional value do not contravene prevailing community standards ( ABC Sales and Marketing – 0146 / 15 ; and Peters – 0146 / 15 ).
RADIO EDUCATING
BUSINESS GOVERNMENT
DETERMINATION
TRANSPORT
Section 2.7 – Parental authority
Section 2.7 of the Children ’ s Code states :
Advertising or Marketing Communications to Children :
( c ) must not undermine the authority , responsibility or judgment of parents or carers ;
( d ) must not contain an appeal to Children to urge their parents , carers or another person to buy a Product for them ;
( e ) must not state or imply that a Product makes Children who own or enjoy it superior to their peers ; and
( f ) must not state or imply that persons who buy the Product are more generous than those who do not .
In 2015 the Board considered one complaint under this Section of the Children ’ s Code .
The Board considered a product ’ s website which required the purchase of an icecream to receive a code to unlock games on the website ( Peters – 0146 / 15 ). The Board considered that the locked status of these games would mean that children may urge their parents to buy the icecreams so that they can continue playing . However , the Board considered that accessing the website on a computer or electronic device meant that there would be access to other games that did not require such a code and therefore , the parent or carer would remain the decision maker about whether or not to buy the product . It was the view of the Board that the need for a code to unlock games on this website was not a specific appeal to children to urge parents to buy the product and did not breach Section 2.7 ( b ) of the Children ’ s Code .
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