Debate opens up on children

The debate on advertising and children begins to rumble in the run-up to Christmas when every second ad on daytime TV features an expensive toy and the line that batteries are not included. But the real debate will start in January when Sweden assumes the EU presidency.

The Swedes have the most stringent laws in Europe governing advertising and children. No advertisement can be aimed at children under 12 and that includes ads for toys, food and other things that might appeal to children. Raising of awareness of the issues surrounding children and advertising during 2001 is likely to be reflected in the next amendment to the European broadcasting directive the following year.

Advertising is traditionally a self-regulating industry, but there is a mood in Europe to harmonise the laws relating to tobacco, car, alcohol and children's advertising. Governments in member-states are already taking control away from the advertising industry. In Denmark TV2, the state broadcaster, has agreed with the government that no advertisement aimed at children can be broadcast within 1 1/2 minutes of a children's programme. There is similar legislation before the German and Italian parliaments.

Greece has no toy advertising at all, but that has long been seen as a protectionist measure devised by the Greek government to protect the indigenous toy industry. Mr Brian Ellis, chairman of the Advertising Education Forum, maintains that most existing European regulations are sufficient to protect children's interests. The forum was set up by the World Federation of Advertisers to examine issues such as children and advertising - predictably they come down on the side of self-regulation.

"A recent study showed that Swedish children see as much advertising as their European peers anyway," says Mr Ellis, "because the ad breaks in children's programming are filled with regular advertising." The other opponents of any change in the current children's advertising environment are programme-makers. It has been estimated that the Greek ban on toy advertising has cost broadcasters there $45 million in lost revenue. As a result, Greek broadcasters are importing cheaper material that has not been made specifically for the Greek market.

Part of the forum's brief is to "de-emotionalise the whole issue", says Mr Ellis. But with Sweden at the helm next year, the debate will certainly get emotional once the vast amount of relevant research findings begin to be discussed. As long ago as 1991 the UK Food Commission found that young children would choose Tony the Tiger or Ronald McDonald as a companion for a day out. Advertisers will have a tough job fighting their corner to keep euro legislators out of the arena.

The £1 million Irish Examiner account has moved from Southern Advertising to DDFH&B. There was no pitch for the account which has been with the Limerick agency for the past five years. Southern will be retaining the Evening Echo part of the business.

Mindshare worldwide has won the £60 million sterling Nike European media account which means that for the first time advertising for Nike in Ireland will be bought locally by Mindshare's Irish arm. The spend here is not large at around £500,000 but the local agency views it as a prestige account.

Agencies are increasingly reluctant to make a full creative pitch to win small accounts, but Conor Quinn of QMP Darcy still thinks it is worth doing no matter how small the budget.

His agency has just been appointed by the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht & the Islands following a competitive creative pitch. The account is worth £125,000 but Mr Quinn says it is only part of a potential outlay of £300,000 and therefore worth the pitch.

bharrison@irish-times.ie