EACA Monthly Newsletter September-October 2004

Advertising to children

Italy - Committee considers repealing ban on under-14 year olds in TV adverts
On September 22, a joint session of the Culture and Transportation Committees of the Italian Chamber of Deputies debated the text of a bill aimed at repealing the current ban on the use of children under the age of 14 in television adverts.

Until new legislation is put in place, the Communications, Employment and Equal Opportunities Ministries will regulate the use of children in TV programs. The proposed bill, known as the ´Code on TV and minors,´ also introduces a ban on alcohol advertising before, after and during all TV programmes directed at children. This is a change from a previous draft, which would have forbidden such advertising between 4pm and 7pm. Further, the bill would require not only that broadcasters comply with the ´Code on TV and minors,´ but also actively promote its contents.

The draft text must still be debated by a plenary session of the Chamber of Deputies and by the Senate before becoming law.

Alcohol advertising

Belgium - Health Minister proposes tighter rules on advertising to minors
Health Minister Rudy Demotte has presented a bill to prevent alcoholic drinks advertisements from appealing to young people below 16.

The proposed legislation follows a recent call by the Belgian Consumer´s association, Test-Achats, in support of tighter rules to discourage minors from drinking. The bill would prevent advertisements from addressing minors in their content or presentation. Specifically, it will be forbidden to show minors, or ´seemingly young people,´ consuming alcoholic drinks. Advertisers will also be prevented from exploiting children´s credulity or lack of experience to encourage them to buy or drink alcoholic beverages.

Netherlands - Anti-alcohol group presents advertising study
The Dutch anti-alcohol organisation STAP has reviewed all surveys carried out between 1999 and 2004 on alcohol advertising and youth. The group says that the results of the study show that advertising influences young people´s drinking behaviour (the decision to go for a drink, for example), and increases positive attitudes towards alcohol.

Broadcasting

EU - Television Without Frontiers focus groups
As part of the European Commission´s review of the Television Without Frontiers Directive, two focus groups have been announced.

The focus group 1, which meets on October 7, 2004, will deal with programme content and will be asked to discuss two topics. The group will first be asked how broadcasters can take into account the different sensitivities and values of the various audiences they address. The second topic of discussion will be about the possibility of broadening the scope of the directive to include on-line broadcasting.

Focus group 2 will meet in November to discuss the level of detail in the regulation of advertising under the Television Without Frontiers Directive. EACA has been invited to participate in group 2.

Netherlands - MP calls for advertising ban on public television
Dutch MP Fadine Orgu has proposed a ban on all advertising on public television.

During a parliamentary debate on the future of public television Ms. Orgu called for advertising to be banned on all three public channels, and to compensate for the loss of revenue by closing one of them. The MP said she hopes to improve the quality of the public channels by removing advertising. The Secretary of State for the Media, Medy Van der Laan, has announced that a feasibility study will be carried out, but says that she does not support the idea in the short term.

Commercial Communications

EU - No agreement on Sales Promotion Regulation
The Competitiveness Council failed to reach an agreement on the Sales Promotion Regulation, despite the Dutch presidency´s introduction of a fourth compromise text.

The latest text introduces stricter rules on prize packages and the targeting of children. The proposal also excludes several practices, such as sales promotions on alcoholic beverages, medicinal products and certain legal services. The Presidency also proposed a rule to prevent sales promotions from ´inciting´ people to ´squander money´? on gambling activities. Further changes include the replacement of the word ´penalties´ by ´sanctions´, thus opening up the possibility of self-regulation. References to the definition of ´child´ have been removed.

One of the various options raised at the meeting was to transform the Sales Promotion proposal from a binding regulation into a directive, which would allow Member States greater flexibility in implementing the text.

As ministers were unable to reach an agreement on the regulation, the proposal has been sent back to COREPER for renegotiation.

Food and Health

EU - European Heart Network launches study on food marketing/obesity link
The European Heart Network has begun a follow up study to its Europe wide research on food marketing and childhood obesity.

The study, entitled ’Children and Obesity ? The impact of food marketing on current consumption patterns of children and young people‘, consists of both a qualitative and a quantitative questionnaire. The research is aimed at providing evidence about the impact of advertising and promotion of foods high in fat, salt and sugar to children, and to help EU countries develop policies to prevent childhood obesity.

The study deals with topics such as ’The scope and seriousness of the obesity problem in your country and the impact of marketing and media‘, ’Your organisation´s activities in respect of combating the negative effects of food marketing‘, ’Possible barriers you meet in performing activities which are aimed at combating the negative effects of food marketing‘, and ’How the obesity problem is/should be tackled‘. The new questionnaires will be sent to the EHN academic network across Europe, as well as to all interested stakeholders, such as institutions, NGOs, trade associations and companies, who replied to the initial questionnaire.

Ireland - Broadcasting Commission labels carbonated drinks as confectionary
The Broadcasting Commission of Ireland has revealed that it will classify carbonated drinks as confectionary.

The move is part of the development of Ireland´s Children´s Advertising Code, due to be published on October 6. The Broadcasting Commission took the decision following consultation with dental health groups. Other products to be classified as confectionary will include sugar, honey and preserves, as well as chocolate, artificial sweeteners and cereal bars. Under the Code, advertising for confectionary aimed at children will have to include a message warning that ’snacking on sugary foods or drinks will damage teeth‘.

Netherlands - Consumer association launches campaign against unhealthy foods
On 9 September the Consumentenbond, the largest Dutch consumer association, launched its latest campaign against unhealthy eating.

Arguing that that the Government?s current education based approach to obesity is ineffective, the Consumentenbond called for the introduction of strict legislative measures, including a ban on certain types of food advertising aimed at children. The organisation also called for a ban on health claims for ’unhealthy‘ products, and the introduction of a food-labelling scheme.

The Dutch Presidency of the EU, along with the Consumentenbond and BEUC, the European Consumers organisation, is organising a European Consumer seminar, to be hosted by the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs on October 20. The Dutch Presidency views the seminar as an opinion forming and agenda setting exchange of thoughts about consumer policy. Topics to be discussed will include nutrition, obesity and food advertising to children, and the Services Directive.

Portugal - Green Party announces bill to ban ’junk food‘ advertising to children
The Green Party has announced that one of its top priorities for the new parliamentary session will be a bill to ban ’unhealthy‘ food advertising to children.

In addition to the bill on advertising, the Green Party also announced that they were preparing a bill to regulate the type of food offered to children in the canteens of Portuguese schools. In order to provide evidence to support the two pieces of legislation, the Greens hope to commission a national inquiry on the eating habits of the Portuguese population. The last such inquiry was carried out in 1980.

UK - BBC survey shows support for restrictions on food advertising to children
The BBC has released the results of its ’Healthy Britain‘ survey, a phone poll of 1,010 adults across the United Kingdom.

76% of respondents agreed that the Government should ban so-called ’junk food‘ adverts during children´s programs. 81% of those polled agreed that the Government should spend more on campaigns to promote healthy diets and exercise, while 57% supported the idea that government should try to change people´s eating habits.

Responding to the survey, Paul Street, the Chief Executive of the Health Development Agency, gave his support to restricting advertising to young children, but said that a coherent approach is needed that takes into account promotions in schools, sponsorship schemes and magazines.

Health Secretary John Reid agreed that children may be more sensitive to food advertising, but called for a sensible approach to the issue, based on scientific evidence. He said, ? ? food is not intrinsically bad ? it is an issue of lifestyles rather than telling individuals what they should eat.?

UK - Teacher´s Union calls for ban on food advertising
Responding to the Government´s ’Healthy Living Blueprint for Schools‘, the National Union of Teachers (NUT) has called for a ban on what they have labelled as ’junk food‘ advertising aimed at children.

The ’Blueprint‘ is a document outlining the Government´s commitment to encouraging children to eat sensibly, stay active and maintain good levels of personal health. While welcoming the Blueprint, the General Secretary of the NUT, Steve Sinnott, also called for the UK Government to pressure the food industry to conform to higher standards of nutrition.

UK - Health Education charity publishes survey on child lifestyle and nutrition
The Developing Patient Partnerships and the National Obesity Forum have launched an initiative aimed at encouraging parents to influence their children´s eating behaviour and physical activity levels.

The ’Get Sussed, Get Healthy Family Challenge‘, project is based on a family reward game, which sets 5 key health challenges per week. Challenges include, ’Make eating a healthy breakfast part of the morning routine‘, ’Less TV, more activity‘, or, ’Swap fat for fruit and vegetables‘.

The initiative was preceded by a survey of 1013 children and 742 parents across the United Kingdom. The results of the survey show that 49% of children aged 7-16 would be more likely to eat healthily and exercise more if they were encouraged to do so by celebrities such as David Beckham. 73% of parents claim that advertising and marketing of unhealthy snacks and drinks makes it more difficult to encourage children to eat healthily.

The Shadow Scottish Health Minister, Shona Robertson, responded to the survey by calling for a ban on the advertising of ’unhealthy‘ food and drink to children, along with a campaign to educate adults in the benefits of healthy eating.

UK - Children´s Food Bill gathers support from 205 MPs
The British activist group Sustain has announced that 205 MPs support the Children´s Food Bill legislation introduced in May 2004 to end ’junk food‘ marketing to children.

The bill sets out a range of measures to improve children´s food, diet and health. The proposed measures include protecting children from the marketing of ’unhealthy‘ food and drink, as well as ensuring the Government promotes healthy foods, like fruit and vegetables, to children. The proposals also include banning ’unhealthy‘ food from school vending machines, as well as ensuring all children are taught practical food skills, such as cooking and growing vegetables.

Supporters of the proposal include 140 Labour Party MPs, 37 Liberal Democrats, and 11 Conservatives.

Self-Regulation

EU - DG SANCO criticises alcohol industry self-regulation
Representatives of the alcohol and advertising industries met with officials from the Commission Health and Consumer Protection DG to discuss the draft working paper on the EU Alcohol Strategy.

The Commission claimed that the alcohol industry spends too little money on self-regulation, especially when compared to the amount spent on advertising. The Commission views the current state of self-regulation as fragile and ineffective. DG SANCO official Matti Rajala said that as long as there continue to be examples of irresponsible advertising, the industry would not have proven its ability to self-regulate. Mr. Rajala further stated that Member State governments had frequently appealed to the Commission for a solution to the problem.

Austria - Self-Regulation body launches copy advice system
The Austrian self-regulatory organisation, the Osterreichische Werberat, has announced that it will now offer copy advice to all types of advertising campaigns.

Currently, the organisation is limited to responding to complaints on existing advertising, but under the new system, advertisers will be able to have their planned campaigns checked against moral and ethical codes. If the evaluation is negative, the Werberat will encourage the media not to broadcast the campaign.

EACA and Members News

EACA - McCann takes top agency prize at Euro Effies
McCann Erickson Europe was awarded the Agency Network of the Year prize at the Euro Effies awards gala held September 30 at the Plaza Hotel in Brussels.

Gold award winners were Leo Burnett London, Young and Rubicam New York and DDB Berlin.

This year´s decision to award only three Gold Product & Service category Euro Effies and not to award a Grand Prix was a direct reflection of the jury?s overall impression that the 2004 Euro Effie entries lacked that extra sparkle which separates the good from the truly great.

The Effie awards were introduced in 1968 by the New York American Marketing Association and are now celebrated in 30 countries worldwide. To qualify for entry to the Euro Effies, a campaign must have run in at least two European markets.

http://www.euro-effie.com

Hungary - Two days of effectiveness
The Hungarian Chapter of the IAA and the Association of Communications Agencies in Hungary are to organize an advertising effectiveness conference on 14 October, one day before the Effie Gala ceremony.

Speakers at the Conference will include Tim Broadbent, the director of BrandCon, will give a presentation on the results of effective advertising. Neil Dawson and Trevor Beattie, of TWBA/London, have promised to give a provocative lecture. Beattie is responsible for the campaigns of the Wonderbra and FCUK brands.

Renata Varga (DBB Budapest) will speak on the effect of promotions, Gabor Bekefi (Coca-Cola Hungary) will talk about effective campaigns, and Zsolt Simon, (Mediaedge:cia) will reveal the secrets of media planning.

The Effie 2004 Gala Award Ceremony will be held on October 15 at the Thalia Theatre. 38 campaigns out of 67 nominations have been short listed for awards. Axel Springer Publishing, Radio Danubius and Hungarian Television are the main sponsors of this year?s Hungarian Effies.

UK - 33 short-listed for 25th IPA Effectiveness Awards
IPA has announced that 33 of an original 58 entrants have been short-listed for the 2004 IPA Effectiveness Awards.

The short-listed candidates will now be reviewed by a second judging panel, which will award the prizes. The shortlist represents an eclectic mix of sectors, including, amongst others, food and drink, healthcare, and media. The awards presentation will take place on November 1, 2004 at the Hilton Park Lane. Details of the winners will be published on November 4.