Responsible Advertising to Children in Canada
The members of Concerned Children’s Advertisers know that we have a privileged place in the homes and lives of Canada’s children. As a result, we’re committed to communicating with Canadian children in a way that is both responsible and respectful. This responsibility is realized through participation in the following four-part process:
1. The Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children (Television)
In Canada, broadcast advertising to children is regulated as a condition of broadcast license through the CRTC. The Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children was created to guide advertisers in preparing broadcast commercial messages that recognize and respect the developing characteristics of the child audience. The content of the code is strong, specific and mandatory.
In Canada, no children’s broadcast advertising goes to air before it is cleared by Advertising Standards Canada’s Children’s Committee, a group made up of advertisers, broadcasters, regulators, parents and educators. This committee ensures that every child-directed commercial meets the Broadcast Code. If an ad contravenes the code, it is rejected and even approved commercials must be submitted for re-evaluation after one year, to accommodate changing social values.
2. Canadian Code of Advertising Standards (All Media)
In addition to the pre-clearance system of the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children, the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards was created to provide an additional level of consumer response in all media. Two clauses in this code specifically address advertising to children. In Canada, it only takes one consumer complaint about an advertisement in any media form to trigger a review of the ad and possible removal or changes.
Over the last five years, zero complaints have been upheld against the Broadcast Code for Advertising to Children. This much respected and transparent process, administered by Advertising Standards Canada, results in a published quarterly report summarizing complaints and actions.
3. Media Literacy Education
In addition to industry regulation and a responsive complaint system, we must also educate children to have the skills to become critical thinkers — able to interpret, cope with and understand the media messages they are exposed to directly and indirectly. For 14 years, industry, through Concerned Children’s Advertisers (CCA), has been delivering a model program for communicating to kids, combining child-directed television PSAs and complementary educational programs delivered to parents, educators and students across Canada and available through the CCA website.
As an industry that works hard to ensure responsible marketing practices, we also feel that it is our responsibility to ensure that children are media literate and able to think critically about what they see and hear. Through TV&ME and its PSAs, CCA has taken a leadership role in providing media literacy education in Canada to children, parents and educators. TV&ME is now a recommended resource in curriculums across Canada, endorsed by the Canadian Teachers’ Federation.
4. Social Messaging on Active Living and Healthy Eating
Industry, through Concerned Children’s Advertisers, has also helped Canadian children, stop, think and act appropriately when faced with life challenges like child abuse, drug abuse, bullying and self-esteem. Now industry is taking this commitment further with the new Children’s Healthy Active Living Program which will provide children, educators and parents with learning and tools for healthy eating and active living.
This comprehensive four-step process combines industry regulation with a responsive complaint process supported by education and social messaging — a powerful combination of initiatives that ensures Canada is a leader in responsibility in children’s advertising.