As we start to enter that wonderful time of seasonal ads – they’re surely beginning earlier each year, right? – we thought it might be a good moment to remind you all of the importance of getting ads aimed at or featuring children, right. After all, no one wants to end up on the ASA’s naughty list this year!
Food and Soft Drinks
Advertisers need to make sure that ads for foods and drinks that are high in salt, fat or sugar (HFSS) aren’t directed at under-16s either through the media they are shown in, or by the context in which they appear. You also need to make sure that no medium with an audience consisting of more than 25% of under-16s is used to advertise such products.
It's worth remembering that the ASA take interest-based targeting factors into account, as well as any age-based targeting, and that offers and information sent out to members of a mailing list are ads, too. We’d also recommend caution when using licensed characters likely to appeal to children.
Other age-restricted products
The Codes define a child as anyone under the age of 16, and classes young people as being 16-17, so it’s important for advertisers to make sure that any ads for age-restricted products don’t target or feature the wrong age groups. That includes HFSS products, as well as (but not limited to) ads for:
So whether it’s a friendly cartoon bear in a beer ad, including someone who is or appears to be under the age of 25 in an ad for an e-cigarette, putting Santa in your festively-themed gambling ad, or even targeting CBD products at kids, we’d suggest thinking twice!
…and don’t forget
…there’s all sorts of other potential pitfalls out there when it comes to children and ads, whether it’s directly appealing to children to buy products, or to persuade parents or other adults to buy them for them, encouraging them to make a nuisance of themselves to parents or others (Rule 5.4.1), or exploiting their credulity.
You also need to make sure that your ads don’t contain anything that’s likely to result in a child’s physical, mental or moral harm, or feature harmful situations or practices that a child may copy. That can even be an issue if the ad itself doesn’t actually feature any children!
Need some advice?
If you have any questions about your planned non-broadcast ads, or want to talk over how any of the issues raised here might impact on your advertising, our Copy Advice team are on hand to provide free, fast and confidential bespoke advice on your non-broadcast advertising.
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