Children and schools

Children today are growing up in an environment shaped by media, entertainment and popular culture. Advertising is an intrinsic part of this. There are major benefits, from first-rate children’s programming to unprecedented access to technology, knowledge and communication tools. But children also need to learn to decipher and critically interpret the range of communications, including marketing communications, around them.

Advertisers consider it an important responsibility to help promote media literacy among children. This is a foundation for any responsible approach to marketing communications and is why ISBA considers it important to be a partner in the government-backed Media Smart initiative.

In recognition of the special care that is required when advertising to children, ISBA and its industry partners in the UK and internationally work to identify, promote and replicate good practice and champion socially responsible initiatives, which go beyond compliance with industry standards. ISBA's membership of the Responsible Advertising and Children Programme helps us build on our commitment to work to ensure responsible marketing communications.

Working with schools 

Well thought out business involvement in schools can add real value to school life and the taught curriculum, as well as providing welcome additional resources. 

Because these activities are becoming more popular, it is important that a framework of best practice principles is in place to ensure that both schools and their commercial partners can build a relationship that is as rewarding as possible.

There are of course dangers with ill-judged activity in schools, but these should not detract from the tremendous benefit to both brands and the community within which they operate if a partnership is done well.

ISBA, the then Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and the consumer group Which? first produced such best practice principles in 2000. The consumer group has since distanced itself from the guidelines, but ISBA remained committed to publishing them again.

Together with the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), ISBA recently updated and reissued the guidelines to teachers and advertisers.