Is it appropriate for brands to target children in schools?

March 5, 2010

Marketing, March 3, 2010

I am not in favour of direct marketing to children in school. That said, certain educational and nutritional products have to be available.

As long as the proper channels are used and the rules and safeguards maintained, the school environment can be a good place for children to be introduced to products that are actually beneficial. But this should be part of the educational experience, which means being subtle, not covering the building in banners or emblazoning the sports kit with logos.

Helping children to learn about and understand brands could also go a long way to preventing exploitation by other less scrupulous operators.

Exposing children to commercial messages is always a hot topic, more so within schools and parents are rightly concerned about it.

To work, the tone and context of the messaging has to be right and the value of the brand to children's well being has to be amply demonstrated.

- Vanessa Cohen
Partner
Prophet

Comments

There are no comments yet.

Join the conversation and add your comment: