Smarten up brand characters

You raise many issues in “Crunch Time for Cereals” (MW May 6). Such is the dominance of licensed characters in the marketing of major brands that the sector is a litmus test for all marketing to children. As such, there is an opportunity for brand owners to take a responsible approach with, say, improvements to the labelling.

In the cereal sector, it is commercial suicide not to have a tie-up with a licensed character. But too often there is not enough consideration about how the character communicates. As parents move towards healthier eating, so too will their children. Brand characters could – and should – have a pivotal role to play in educating children about nutrition in ways that endorse the brand and protect the licensing deals.

Licensed characters are the brand interface with children – it’s high time for brand owners to use them more intelligently.

Peter Hollingsworth,

Managing creative director

Enterprise IG

London EC1