Day 054 - 24 Nov 94 - Page 51

     
     1        this basis, we would expect advertising literacy to be
     2        developing during this period as the child tries to
     3        understand the metaphors, hyperboles and various puns and
     4        conundrums offered in contemporary British advertising.
     5
     6        "It is dangerous to assume that the older child and
     7        adolescent has a fully fledged adult understanding of
     8        advertising just because he or she can demonstrate an
     9        awareness of the commercial and persuasive intent of this
    10        form of communication."
    11
    12        I think that is fairly self-explanatory as to the
    13        development of an advertising literacy in childhood. But
    14        the point I wanted to go on to make is that understanding
    15        the intent, the details, the purpose of an advertisement is
    16        no real defence against its persuasiveness, otherwise it
    17        could be argued: Why does anybody advertise to adults?
    18        Adults have reached the level at which they are capable of
    19        understanding the things that are talked about through this
    20        development stage.  I think this is quite a key point, is
         that just by understanding the purpose of advertising that
    22        does not mitigate this influential effect.  The two I think
    23        are quite different.
    24
    25   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I was going to ask whether it matters whether
    26        the child understands or not, because a young child might
    27        understand perfectly well that it is an advertisement, let
    28        us suppose in any particular case, but it does not follow
    29        from that that it will have any less impact?
    30        A.  Yes.  I think there are two points here.  The first
    31        does raise the question which has been raised going back to
    32        the 1970s, particularly in the United States, whether it is
    33        right to advertise to a child who does not understand the
    34        purpose of advertising.  That was the basis on which the
    35        Federal Trade Commission made proposals in the 1970s for
    36        restricting advertising to children.  It was also ----
    37
    38   MR. MORRIS:  Do you know the restrictions that were suggested?
    39        A.  Yes, if I can refer you to "Advertiser's Dream".
    40
    MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Which page?
    42        A.  On page 29.  "In 1979 the Federal Trade Commission"
    43        (this is in the United States) introduced proposals to ban
    44        television advertisement directed at children under 8 in
    45        the sugared food products to those under 12, together with
    46        the requirement that advertisers devote to money to public
    47        service messages promoting good dental and nutritional
    48        habits."   Now those proposals never came to fruition.
    49
    50   MS. STEEL:  Do you want to say why that was? 
    51 
    52   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  Well, I can see. 
    53        A.  The reason the Federal, part of the reason the Federal
    54        Trade Commission sought to introduce -----
    55
    56   MR. JUSTICE BELL:  I see, why they sought to introduce the ban,
    57        rather than why it failed?
    58        A.  I am not sure, have I misunderstood the question?
    59
    60   Q.   I think Ms. Steel and I were at cross purposes.  I thought