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CARU’s West Coast Conference 2013 is scheduled for April 10 at the Beverly Hills Hilton, and once again promises to be a not-to-be-missed event. Confirmed speakers include Mamie Kresses, Federal Trade Commission; Katie Ratte, The Walt Disney Company; Jeannette Neumann, Mattel; Cynthia Nishimoto, Bandai; Stevan Levy, Kabillion; and Ryan Shadrick Wilson, The Partnership for a Healthier America. CARU believes if there is one conference to attend this year, this is the one, particularly in view of the impending COPPA modifications. CARU will devote a panel to the COPPA changes and will have detailed, lively discussions about the impact to the industry at-large. Indeed, rather than just a panel discussion, CARU hopes it will be more of a training session to prepare advertisers and website operators for the changes. Additionally, panelists will examine domestic and global challenges to self-regulation in the areas of social media, mobile marketing, sweepstakes, and food and beverage advertising.
Continue Reading CARU’s 3rd Annual Children’s Advertising & Online Privacy Conference

The Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) determined recently that Skechers, the maker of Red Phrans-Phavorite Sneakers, and Marc Ecko Enterprises, which markets the product, should modify or discontinue advertising that suggests the shoes shine red when used. CARU picked up the ad during its monitoring practices, as it aired during after-school hours on Nickelodeon. Vanessa…

Nigeria’s Consumer Protection Council (“CPC”) is calling for a global ban on advertising for food that is high in fat, sugar, and salt, at least with regard to children’s advertising. According to an article in Africa News, CPC is calling on the World Health Organization to support a strong international code that would ban…

This post was also written by Milan Joshi.

Sky One, a UK satellite channel that broadcasts “The Simpsons,” has been told that the sponsorship of the programme by Domino’s Pizza, a leading UK pizza delivery company, breaches sponsorship rules, despite the fact that no products that were high in fat, salt or sugar (HFSS) were shown in the credits.

Ofcom, the UK media watchdog, published rules in February 2007 concerning advertisements of HFSS foods to under-16s.

The National Heart Forum (NHF), an alliance of more than 60 UK organisations working to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and related conditions, contacted Ofcom regarding Domino’s Pizza’s sponsorship of “The Simpsons.” The NHF complained that Domino’s Pizza “appears to be avoiding the restriction on HFSS advertising or sponsorship by simply not showing the pizza product during the sponsor’s credits around the programme.”

In response to the complaint, Ofcom requested a recording of “The Simpsons” from Jan. 30, 2008. This consisted of four recordings, back-to-back, between 19:00 and 21:00, with each episode containing four sponsorship credits. The credits featured one or more of the following – at least one person involved in the pizza order/delivery process, the sponsor’s pizza packaging, the pizza case preparation and the sprinkling of pizza topping ingredients. The closing image contained the Domino’s Pizza logo and the words “Domino’s Delivery Service,” followed by the website details and order telephone number. Each credit ended with a voice-over stating: “‘The Simpsons’ on Sky One with Domino’s – the pizza delivery experts.”Continue Reading Ofcom delivers blow to Domino’s Pizza’s sponsorship of “The Simpsons”

A Federal Communications Commission official is pushing a proposal to ban interactive ads targeting children. FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein’s call for regulation came amid the latest in a series of public meetings to address childhood obesity and its alleged link to food advertising.

“With the growing convergence of TV and the Internet, we need…

In the face of federal disagreement as to whether the chemical bisphenol A (BPA)  threatens the health of babies and young children, several state attorneys general have taken the matter into their own hands, and have asked baby product manufacturers to stop using the controversial chemical.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, joined by the AGs…