Responsible Marketing to Children

n recent years, much has been made of how we advertise to children, especially where the products raise concerns over health and well-being issues, such as sugary sweets and drinks. Advertising standards and governing bodies have rightly set out clear guidelines on how and when children can be exposed to certain types of advertising. However, if you are thinking of working in the children’s marketing arena, you may have your own personal standards about what lines you are or are not prepared to cross in the name of supporting the aim of sales. Admittedly, children won’t have the means or ability to make purchases themselves at a young age, but they play a vital role in persuading the purse holders about where to spend their money. Pester power has long been recognised by marketers as a powerful tool for generating sales. Some may look on this as a questionable manipulation of young impressionable minds. However, this doesn’t have to be a bad thing. If you work for a company which sells educational products or toys and equipment which encourages physical activity, then you might want to fully embrace the potential to appeal directly to the target market of children in the knowledge that you are promoting beneficial or life-enhancing products. There is a certain skill required to be able to make the reading of books as appealing to children as eating lots of sweets. It's a valuable ability to be able to make outdoor exercise seem as attractive a way to pass the time or as exciting a form of entertainment as a trip to the cinema. Being able to capture the imagination of children is central to being able to promote ‘worthy’ products to them. However, the marketing approach will usually be two-fold, as it will need to appeal to the purse holders as well as maximise sales potentials. Finding the right balance isn’t always easy, and sometimes it is not simply the content of the marketing promotion but the vehicles and communication channels as well which need a two-pronged attack. Believing in what you sell is central to being able to carry out your marketing activities with integrity. If you don’t believe in what you promote, you will never being doing your best work or you will lose sight of what is right for your audience. Knowing what you are going to be involved in promoting should be a key consideration when you choose which jobs you are going to apply for. Job descriptions and role profiles should be read closely, especially when an employer with a broad product range is recruiting, as marketing roles can be split by product type or audience focus when large marketing teams are involved. When you are job hunting using marketing recruitment agencies in Warwickshire, you will be able to get good detail about the jobs and what will be involved before you put in an application. You can discuss your suitability for roles with the experts at marketing recruitment agencies in Warwickshire to make sure you can fully commit to the products you’ll be working with. If you have to work hard to convince yourself you can promote a particular product, you will find it even harder to convince the interviewing panel.