The Children’s Advertising Review Council (CARU) has stepped up efforts to monitor and determine self-regulatory guidelines for new marketing tactics aimed at children such as paid product placement and advertising in electronic games.
The National Advertising Review Council (NARC), which sets policies and procedures for CARU, said in letters to the Federal Trade Commission and the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), that the initiatives are designed to better serve consumers and the children’s advertising industry.
The issues to be addressed include:
- Examining interactive online games a task force is expected to present its findings to CARU later this month. CARU is also looking to find efficient ways to monitor ads targeting children in computer and video games.
- Assembling a task force to evaluate GMA’s suggestion to prohibit paid product placement. (GMA made the suggestion during the recent FTC workshop on marketing, self-regulation and childhood obesity).
- Getting input is to be gathered on the issue of third-party licensing.
CARU has also taken a number of steps to strengthen self-regulation, NARC said.
Complaint forms are more user friendly and visible— linked to the “File a Complaint” page at more than 100 Better Business Bureau Web sites; a new system is being developed to allow public-interest and educational institutions and organizations to access the case archives through free subscriptions; the voluntary pre-screening of ads service will now be available to non CARU supporters for a small fee and new members will be added to the Academic Advisory Board, which includes experts in nutrition, child mental health, cognitive development, marketing and communications.
CARU was founded in 1974 to promote responsible children’s advertising as part of an alliance with the major advertising trade associations through the NARC.
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