CARU Annual Conference: Advertising To Kids 2.0
Yesterday I attended the CARU Annual Conference here in New York and had a chance to listen to expert panelists discussing the challenges currently facing the Children’s Advertising Industry. In keeping with the theme, “Advertising to Kids 2.0″ speakers paid particular attention to digital marketing and how the new media landscape has affected the way companies market their products to children.
What interested me most about the day was the academic slant to the discussion around reconciling the unilateral marketing standards of the past with the ubiquitous connectivity and multiple platforms of the new media landscape. As the regulatory processes continue to be fine tuned and consumers of all ages become more active players (whether as Facebook fans, content creators, bloggers, etc.), we see a shift from messaging as a one-way broadcast to an ongoing dialogue with youth.
Two recent teachable moments that were brought up during the day — the fallout in Maine after a poorly drafted anti-marketing law was passed and then effectively voided by the state’s Attorney General, and the case brought against teen data tracking service EchoMetrix — both shine a revealing light on each side of the debate over regulation: Too much and companies feel prevented from carrying out legitimate businesses (i.e. colleges who can’t send materials to high school students without parental consent), too little and teens (or whomever your target consumers are) feel like brands are violating their trust.
One lesson that comes out of both scenarios is the need for self-regulation on the part of all companies looking to reach youth, especially online. Not only in terms of distinguishing between advertising and editorial content (which has become increasingly difficult on blogs and web sites, to the point where even older teens have trouble unless price is mentioned), but also with those behind-the-scenes actions such as collection, even with so-called “scrubbed” information. As Anastasia pointed out in a post last week, when the online tracking study was released, marketers need to explain how and for whom data is being collected. As for concerns over the best strategies for informing without boring or worrying customers, one panelist pointed out that advertisers should consider well, advertising…using the same strategies to inform and educate site visitors about privacy policies and data collection as they would to get youth to visit the store or click through to find out more about a product.
The same carries over to the best way to inform tween and teen brand ambassadors online and on the ground about their own legal responsibilities. Whether that means explaining copyright infringement to ugc creators or the importance of disclosure to street teams. Here, again, transparency and straightforward directives are key in communicating with teens who will be reviewing and potentially endorsing the product for their peers.
Of course all of this just serves to highlight the need for initiatives like the one the FTC announced last week, to bring advertising/marketing literacy into the classroom or a classroom-like environment where issues like these can be translated from legal speak into educational materials, awareness campaigns and advocating more comprehension among youth (and the rest of us) in general. Just food for thought (and maybe motivation to get a head start) for advertisers, educators, consumer groups and parents before the FTC campaign directed towards tweens rolls out next year.
For more coverage of youth marketing, go to the Ypulse Youth Marketing Channel sponsored by Youth Marketing Connection.