New rules for food advertising
In 2007, CAP and BCAP responded to Government and public concern about rising levels of childhood obesity by introducing strict new content rules for the advertising of food and drink products. Restrictions were placed on the use of licensed characters and celebrities popular with children, and measures to curb ads that promoted excessive consumption of food or drink products were tightened.
Training for industry
Changes to the TV Code were communicated to the industry first. In February, BCAP and Clearcast held a free morning master class on the new TV rules for food and drink products at BAFTA in London. The seminar was webcast and was made available on the CAP website. Other training sessions for industry were also conducted to meet demand.After the new TV rules were announced in February and Ofcom’s TV scheduling restrictions came into force in April, CAP announced new non-broadcast rules for food and drink advertising in April to take effect on 1 July. Changes to the BCAP Radio Code followed in December.
The underlying principle of both the broadcast and non-broadcast codes is that ads should not condone or encourage poor nutritional habits or unhealthy lifestyles in children. But the codes have subtle differences. The TV Code has scheduling restrictions whereas the non-broadcast Code is solely a set of content restrictions. The TV Code adopted the Food Standards Agency Nutrient Profiling Model to restrict products assessed as HFSS (high in fat, salt or sugar) from being advertised to children but the non-broadcast Code applied to advertisements for all foods except fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. CAP, therefore, rejected the Nutrient Profiling Model which was specifically intended to be used for TV advertising.
Monitoring compliance
The ASA Compliance team conducted a monitoring survey in July 2007 to ensure that advertisers were adhering to the new rules. Of the 759 food and drink ads surveyed, only six were considered in breach of the Code, a compliance rate of 99.2%. Ofcom will review the TV rules in 2008 and the Government will review things in 2009 to evaluate changes in the nature and balance of food advertising.New approach to food marketing
The new food rules have led to significant changes in the way food and drink products are promoted. Kevin Brennan, Marketing Director of Kellogg’s explains how Kellogg’s marketing has changed.
For over 100 years Kellogg’s has been providing nutritious foods so, when the debate for healthier lifestyles started in 2003, we felt well placed to deliver a new range of promotions and marketing activity.
At the same time, the traditional toys in a box and associated marketing was delivering less value for mums and their children and therefore our business. The food industry faced increased pressure to change its marketing practices towards family brands including regulatory and political pressure to move away from marketing directly to children.
Our marketing continuously changes as we rigorously research consumer sentiment and we have, among other things:
- significantly reduced advertising during children’s airtime, which will be down to zero by 2009
- designed ads with mum and family, not child, appeal
- reduced licensed character promotions from six a year to none
- reduced the number of toy inserts in our packets from 55 million a year to none
- stopped advertising in children’s magazines and websites
- closed Kellogg’s websites designed to appeal to children
- removed under-16s from our database.
Changes will continue but, as long as we engage with consumers, we should be doing it right for them while building our business responsibly for the next 100 years.
01_BCAP training online
02_Kellogg's marketing
