Brands sign peer-to-peer pledge

Many of the world’s top brands have signed a pledge accepting new guidelines that children aged 16 and under should not be employed to act as brand ambassadors or in peer-to-peer marketing campaigns – a practice that has been widespread online.
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.
As part of the Government clampdown, the leading web providers are to offer a new, improved adult content “block”. But they have been branded unworkable by digital industry experts.
The Advertising Association Children’s chair Mark Lund presented the new peer-to-peer guidelines to Prime Minister David Cameron earlier this month.
The full list of company signatories as of today is: BT Retail, Dubit, Coca-Cola, EdComs, Ferrero, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, Mastertronic, Microsoft, National Schools Partnership, Nintendo, Pepsico, Procter & Gamble, Sainsbury’s, Specsavers, TenNine, Unilever, Virgin Media, Vodafone, and JazzyMedia.
Critics claim that many big names have yet to sign, although those who have do own hundreds of brand between them. A spokesman for the Advertising Association said: “We’re still pushing.”
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.”
The Advertising Association guidance says, “young people under the age of 16 should not be employed and directly or indirectly paid or paid-in-kind to actively promote brands, products, goods, services, causes or ideas to their peers, associates or friends”.