Campaign to prevent children from being misled by adverts

Konrad Drozdowski, director of the Advertising Council, a body responsible for self-regulation of adverts by firms, explained that “we want to begin a pilot project of the Polish version of ‘Media Smart,’ which educates children about the commercial messages behind adverts.

“In particular [the project] will focus on electronic media, including important issues such as viral marketing or new forms of adverts in social media and on blogs.”

Media Smart is a UK-based not-for-profit company that also operates in various European countries including Germany and the Netherlands, and describes itself as a ‘media literacy programme.’

The announcement follows research by Viacom International Media Networks last year, which found that the average 6-13 year old spends around 88 min. a day watching TV, 57 min. using computers, 53 min. on tablets and 40 min. on a smartphone.

Arguing that self-regulation is having positive effects, Drozdowski pointed to a ban on advertising food such as chocolate, sweets, crisps and jam around television programs aimed at children under 12, which came into force this January.

Recently an advert using the slogan ‘exceptional dolls for exceptional children’ was criticized by the Marketing Ethics Committee, as the dolls cost PLN 130 (EUR 32) each and according to the committee children whose parents could not afford the dolls would be emotionally distressed. (sl/nh)

Source: PAP