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Seven slapped for ad during Children’s shows

Seven Network has landed in hot water with the media watchdog for an advertisement with Craig Lowndes during C programming.

The Seven Network has landed in hot water with the media watchdog for an advertisement with popular personalities during Children’s (C) programming periods.

Last May Seven aired an ad for Hogs Breath Cafe with two V8 Supercars drivers, Craig Lowndes and Jamie Whincup. Both were used in the advertisement to promote or endorse the food service with the ‘Hogster.’

In 2009 the Australian Communications and Media Authority announced rules restricting the use of ‘popular personalities and proprietary characters’ in endorsing commercial services during Children’s programming periods.

“The ACMA is serious about the protection of children during children’s programming,” said ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman.

“Research shows that the persuasive content of advertisements is enhanced by popular characters and personalities. Accordingly, in the new Children’s Television Standards, the ACMA strengthened advertising restrictions during children’s programs, specifically in the use of popular characters and personalities.”

Seven has undertaken a range of measures to re-classify the ad and other advertisements that may not have been compliant.

ACMA says as this is the first breach of the regulation it will not be taking any further action.

14 Responses

  1. ACMA needs to f**k off! Craig Lowdnes is not here to hurt us, he just wants to show off his V8 Supercar stardom to us. Personally, I think the current Children’s Programming Standards system needs to DIE and die horribly. It’s hurting the networks and hurting the ad agencies and it may be hurting V8 Supercars as well.

    Burn in hell, ACMA!

  2. Hog’s Breath isn’t Maccas or KFC. Difficult to believe that 7 and 8 yr olds would be pestering Mum to go to Hog’s Breath rather than Maccas. ACMA has no idea … and meanwhile Bruce Gordon owns Nine Perth and Nine Adelaide, and has board representation on Ten Perth and Ten Adelaide, and ACMA has done nothing.

  3. a6581, its not ‘us’ adults that this law targets. Kids are easier to pursuade, being less able to see through advertisment bullsh*t. thus harsher laws must be in place when kids are watching.

  4. C and P classified programming is a protectionist system that does not work, and encourages the production of substandard childrens programming.
    It is purely a system that suits production companies and ACMA. Networks hate it and as a result comply with the legislation to the bare minimum, resulting in the commissioning of cheap programs that miss the mark with most children.
    Abolish P and C programming, and allow the ABC access to additional revenue streams such as advertising on one of its multi channels, in order to fund a larger volume of production of quality australian programming, which will include children’s television.

  5. Australian TV networks believe that we, the viewing public are too stupid to understand the concepts and motives behind shameless advertising such as this. On a daily basis we are treated as fools by all the major Australian networks and ACMA acts like a ‘toothless tiger’, doing nothing to stop such manipulation of our country’s citizens.

  6. I would have thought the Hogster itself would be counted as a “popular” character… Once again the regulator uses the a lightweight, on something as serious as a inaugural breach, of new regulations.

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