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Outlines the patchwork of federal law and self‐regulatory codes and guidelines which makes up the legislative system relating to advertising to Canadian children. Lists the former as the Broadcast Code of Advertising to Children, the Telecaster Services of the Television Bureau of Canada, and the CBC Advertising Standards, while self‐regulatory codes include the Canadian Code of Advertising Standards and the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the Canadian Marketing Association. Focuses next on Quebec’s provincial laws for advertising to children; Quebec is the only province, and in fact the only jurisdiction in North America, in which commercial advertising to persons under 13 is generally prohibited. Discusses lastly the sensitive issue of collecting personal information from children.

Reports research by ChildWise into how children approach the advertising they encounter; this is the first fully interactive generation, who can process information with ease. Explores their familiarity with the role of advertising in their lives, whether they can recognise advertising messages when they see them, where they find advertising (typically on TV), what is advertised, whether they approve of advertising and think they can rely on it, whether they think that there are rules regarding advertising, what rules they would like to see, which adverts they enjoy, TV adverts for children’s products, which adverts influence them to want to buy or persuade their parents to buy, and how they would design their own advertising campaigns.

Discusses the ethics of marketing to children and the concept of social responsibility, in particular the question of what counts as responsible advertising in a society where consumption is essential to the capitalist system and children are socialised into consumers. Shows how advertising helps children learn the tools of social interaction and the social significance of brands. Asks whether advertising deceives children, reporting research that shows that eight‐year‐olds do not believe all advertising but nevertheless value some of the advertisements. Moves on to the pressure that advertisements may put on parents to supply children with the products advertised. Notes that over half the advertisements shown in children’s television are for food related products, and that advertisers are accused of promoting unhealthy food. Concludes with children as a macro audience, i.e. one to which advertising has not been explicitly targeted but which is recognised as an inevitable recipient of the message.

Psychological research is frequently cited in discussions about children and advertising. This paper reviews some of the issues and some of the research that has a bearing on them. The research is not nearly as substantial, clear, reliable or relevant as is often supposed. There is little evidence that children are especially vulnerable to advertising, or that advertising has a direct effect on their behaviour. Youth fads often precede, rather than follow, advertising. Debates about the age at which children recognise and understand commercials are fruitless. Most discussions omit advertising's appeal and use as entertainment, a way to manage mood, and a source of information on how to satisfy personal needs.

Examines advertisers’ use of gender in food advertising to children. Previous studies of gender preference in children’s advertising suggest gender bias exists. Food products are most often gender‐neutral. Advertising for food products is compared to non‐food advertisements. Examines measures of voice‐over gender, gender of dominant product user, gender of main character, activity level, aggressive behavior level, and soundtrack volume. A sample of food advertisements to children exhibits greater gender preference in presentation than the comparison sample of non‐food advertisements to children. This suggests that food advertising should consider gender bias among other factors when proceeding with self‐regulation of children’s advertising.

Outlines some of the ways in which advertising to children differs from advertising to other groups: no other market is so fragmented and rapidly changing, involves advertising to users who rarely purchase and purchasers who rarely use, or is as beset with regulatory controls and by constant political attacks. Considers each of these factors and their significance to advertisers: fragmentation of the children’s market reflects the precise age bands for toys and games; since children do not usually buy the goods themselves, advertisers must simultaneously excite and appeal to children yet reassure the adults who make the purchasing decisions; regulatory controls on advertising in the UK are far more restrictive than many people realise; and the political antagonism to advertising concerning children focuses on the issues of obesity and the pressure that children exert on their parents to buy advertised goods.

Interviews Jeremy Preston, Director of the Food Advertising Unit in the UK, on the crucial issues of child obesity and health; the FAU was set up in 1995 under the auspices of the Advertising Association. Explains the work of the FAU in acting as a centre for information, communication and research in the field of food advertising, especially in regard to children. Reviews the legislation in various countries which attempts to restrict the amount of advertising to children. Outlines Jeremy Preston’s views that children are more sophisticated than adults think, and that they know how advertising works from a young age; he sees education, exercise and improved labelling as important methods of promoting healthy lifestyles to children.

Outlines the legislative structure surrounding advertising to children in Brazil, which is aimed at protecting children because of their lack of experience and vulnerability; it is based on the Brazilian Federal Constitution (BFC). Moves on to CONAR, the National Counsel [sic] of Advertising Self‐Regulation, which was set up by media associations in the 1980s and has a set of rules for ensuring that advertisers obey national regulations; and to the Brazilian Consumer Defence Code (CDC) enacted in 1990, which represents an increase in control by legislators and the judiciary. Indicates types of advertising prohibited: simulated, misleading and abusive, plus product placement. Concludes with provisions for participation of children in advertisements, and over the advertising of tobacco, alcoholic beverages, pesticides, medicine and guns.

Interactive media strategies and digital tools have enabled advertisers to target children with promotional offers and creative appeals.

Based on theories related to metaphors in advertisements, cognitive comprehension by children, promotional appeals, and presentation techniques, the research for this study comprised a content analysis of 1,980 online banner advertisements with reference to use of metaphors, promotional appeals, creative content, and selling techniques.

The research study concludes that online advertising to children, in contrast to traditional advertising vehicles, is characterized by (a) a vibrant visual metaphor, (b) surfeit of animated content, (c) interactive features, (d) myriad product types, and (e) creative content for a mixed audience of adults and children.

This study argues that the impact and content of the Internet as a new advertising medium are distinctly different from traditional characteristics of television and print.

Introduces the Food Advertising Unit (FAU), a coalition of multinational food companies, advertising agencies and the broadcast media which operates under the auspices of the Advertising Association as a centre for information and research on advertising for children; and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) which represents the UK food and soft drinks industry. Reports research on the effect of television advertising of food products on children which suggests that there is only a slight direct effect, but the November 2005 White Paper is prioritising new restrictions on food and soft drink advertising to children, and the industry accepts the need for advertising code changes and for a holistic approach to behavioural change through education. Describes the work of the Food and Soft Drink Advertising and Promotions Forum, led by the Department of Health. Outlines positive approaches under way by individual companies such as Turner Broadcasting as well as by public service broadcasting. Argues that there must be proportionality in new government restrictions, given that their positive effects on children’s health may be far smaller than their adverse effects on the industry.