Ban on children's adverts... Really?

David Cameron has announced today that the government plans to tighten regulations on online advertising targeting children. He criticises that kids as young as seven are used as "brand ambassadors" and that the advertising industry's concepts such as kgoy – Kids Growing Older Younger – would undermine family values.

"You can't cut children off from the commercial world, of course you can't, but we should be able to help parents more in terms of trying to make sure that our children get a childhood and that they are not subject to unnecessary and inappropriate commercialisation and sexualisation too young", Cameron said.

The thinktank Compass goes even one step further and proposes a ban on ads in public spaces as well as on all TV ads that are aimed at kids under the age of 12.

However, it is unlikely that the government will accept the proposals, with the advertising industry being valued at $450bn (£287bn) worldwide.

It could raise a question though: Is the whole problem the advertising industry's fault?

The US journalist Kay Hymowitz once said, "Marketers make it sound like kgoy is just a fact of nature. The truth is, they have played a central role in making it happen. They know that the way you seize kids' attention is make them feel older and more glamorous - and sexier."

Sure, that can't be denied to 100 per cent but it is also true that brands only follow their customers wishes and needs though. If there was no market for – let’s say – make-up for little girls, their would be no make-up for little girls. Of course there are borders, but it is not the brand’s duty to set these. It’s the parents’.

Aren’t the Jordan’s and Britney’s of this world a way worse influence than adverts? Would we ban them too? I don’t think so...

Phenomena such as Hannah Montana, High School Musical and Glee have shown that kids need someone they can look up to, someone they can identify with – it seems that after fifty years, Barbie isn’t inspiring enough any more. Which is actually good, isn’t it? Shouldn’t we be proud that compared to fifty years ago, today’s kids have higher goals and want to be more individual?

And let’s be honest, eventually it is always up to the parents what they buy and what they don’t. However, I do agree – for them it is a lot easier to blame the advertising industry than to look for the mistakes they probably made when raising their children...

If you want to read more, here are the Guardian's stories on the topic:
David Cameron promises to tackle advertisers who sexualise children
Ban all advertising in public spaces, says thinktank