Ad industry asks ex-COI boss Lund to address Bailey Review worries

The Advertising Association (AA) has appointed former COI chief executive Mark Lund to its new kids’ marketing panel in an attempt to ward off restrictive legislation.

Mark Lund
Mark Lund

Lund, who is also the founding partner of the newly formed Now agency, will head the AA panel that was put in place in response to the Bailey Review of the Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Children.

The Department for Education-commissioned Bailey Review unveiled a series of recommendations concerning marketing practices when it launched this week, including the restriction of outdoor adverts containing sexualised imagery near schools and banning the employment of children under 16 as brand ambassadors.

The first task of the AA’s panel will be to address the concerns about ‘sexual imagery’ on billboards and the use of young brand ambassadors, as well as attempts to improve industry and regulatory understanding of parental concerns.

Lund (pictured) says the relationship between children, advertising and the commercial world is “a complex issue and a genuine concern for parents and therefore the industry”.

He adds: “It’s up to us [the industry] to stay close to the conversation and understand how the market is changing if we are to retain public trust and confidence in what we do.”

Prime Minister David Cameron has come out in support of the recommendations made in the review, issuing an open letter to clarify his position on the subject.

Children’s Minister Sarah Teather and Cameron says they will invite a wide range of businesses and regulators to Downing Street in October and ask them to report on steps they have taken to address the issues raised in the report.

Bailey is also recommending that the Government monitors the implementation of his recommendations and carries out a stock-take in 18 months time.

Following the publication of the report, parenting group Mothers’ Union has insisted it will continue its Bye Buy Childhood campaign until legislation is put in place to ensure the recommendations are implemented.

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