Bratz, Brands & Brains
April 17th, 2007
Was impressed at yesterday’s filming of the Insight program…they engaged really well with the children in the audience in a respectful way.
I made the point that the children demonstrated that they have the capacity to talk about and understand issues relating to advertising and branding…hopefully that doesn’t end up on the cutting room floor.
Anyway - you can see it at 7.30pm tonight on SBS.
The capacity of teenage scientists
March 27th, 2007
I’m enjoying watching this story get some press.
Two NZ 14 year-olds did an experiment at school that showed Ribena didn’t have the vitamin C levels that Glaxosmithkline claimed. Today they copped it in an Auckland court.
This is another example of the capability of children and young people. The two young women tested several times and then pursued the company for answers. They din’t have to, but they did. Why? Perhaps children and young people do have a sense of social responsibility. Perhaps they do understand the way advertising works and what integrity means? Perhaps we underestimate what children understand and refuse to accept they don’t take things for granted like we do because they are still learning, developing and questioning at a rate far above ours.
Think about it. Over a 4 year period not one adult, not one organisation had bothered to check the vitamin C content of Ribena. How many other false claims do we allow to go unnoticed to the detriment of our children?
Update
The final cost, a fine of about $200K. Damn those kids.