Legal paper: Direct marketing and children — How far can you go?

Abstract

Too many companies steer clear of marketing to the under 18s because they are unsure of the extent to which they can do so, or even whether they can do so at all. There are so many codes and guidelines to take into account, yet no ‘hard and fast’ rules to follow. Avoiding this ‘grey area’ altogether to some may be the preferred option but it could mean losing out on a potentially lucrative market. This paper aims to consolidate various best practice guidelines, to clarify the current law on direct marketing and how it might be interpreted to apply to the under 18s and aims to give practical advice on the issues of which marketers should be aware and steps that can be taken to carry out effective yet responsible direct marketing of children.