PepsiCo joins advertising industry pledge
Pledge set to produce a major step forward on children in advertising.
13 October 2011
PepsiCo has joined a pledge that sets new guidelines preventing children aged 16 and under from being employed to act as brand ambassadors or in peer-to-peer marketing campaigns.
Mark Lund, Chair of the Advertising Association's Children's Panel, presented the new guidelines to Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this week.
The plans, prompted by Reg Bailey, CEO of Mother's Union, in his Government report "Letting Children Be Children", have been well received amongst sector peers. The principle has been supported by more than twenty leading organisations and key trade associations, including Unilever, Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft.
The full proposal suggests that young people under the age of 16 should not be employed, and directly or indirectly paid, to actively promote brands, products, goods, services, causes or ideas to their peers, associates or friends.
The guidance excludes the employment of children as actors or performers in advertisements.
Speaking about Bailey's report, Lund said:
"Bailey recognised that the commercial world has much to offer children and families, but that we need to ensure we observe sensible guidelines in the way we interact with them. These measures will help industry do just that."
For more information on the pledge, please visit the Advertising Association website by clicking here.
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