Advertising to children

Children's Advertising Review Unit Issues Revised Guidelines for Responsible Advertising to Children, Effective January 1, 2022

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, July 29, 2021

"Over the years, the CARU Advertising Guidelines have been revised periodically to address changes in media and marketing, and central to these new revisions are the changes taking into account today's digital environment," said Mamie Kresses, Vice President, Children's Advertising Review Unit, BBB National Programs.

Key Points: 
  • "Over the years, the CARU Advertising Guidelines have been revised periodically to address changes in media and marketing, and central to these new revisions are the changes taking into account today's digital environment," said Mamie Kresses, Vice President, Children's Advertising Review Unit, BBB National Programs.
  • "In addition, recognizing the importance of diversity and inclusion in ad creative, the revised CARU Advertising Guidelines hold advertisers accountable for negative social stereotyping, prejudice, or discrimination."
  • Remove the children's privacy guidelines, included in the CARU Advertising Guidelines since 1996, to a separate document, the CARU Self-Regulatory Guidelines for Children's Online Privacy Protection .
  • Interpretations of the CARU Advertising Guidelines will be updated on an ongoing basis through FAQs, as new challenges and questions about application of the Guidelines arise.

Children's Advertising Review Unit Recommends IMC Toys Include "Non-Edible" Disclosure in Cry Babies Magic Tears Tutti Frutti Doll Advertisement

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, May 27, 2021

NEW YORK, May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of BBB National Programs recommended that IMC Toys USA Inc. modify its television advertisement promoting the Cry Babies Magic Tears Tutti Frutti doll to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure that children should not consume the jell-like substance produced by the doll.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, May 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of BBB National Programs recommended that IMC Toys USA Inc. modify its television advertisement promoting the Cry Babies Magic Tears Tutti Frutti doll to include a clear and conspicuous disclosure that children should not consume the jell-like substance produced by the doll.
  • Identified during CARU's routine monitoring program of child-directed content, the Tutti Frutti doll advertisement features several dolls dressed to look and smell like fruit that when squeezed produced colorful jelly-like tears.
  • In reviewing the television spot, CARU determined that the advertisement could reasonably convey to children that a fruit-themed doll that cried colorful jelly-like tears could be edible.
  • For the full text of National Advertising Division, National Advertising Review Board, and CARU decisions, subscribe to the online archive .