Less advertising in children's environments: Media Focus gives Swiss Pledge good marks for 2018
Since 2010, Media Focus has been monitoring compliance with the Swiss Pledge voluntary commitment. In 2018, the advertising promises made by Swiss Pledge companies were once again fulfilled with good results.
Since 2010, the Swiss Pledge companies have specifically adapted their advertising behavior towards children under the age of twelve: Only products that meet defined and scientifically developed nutritional criteria are advertised in a children's environment. The independent market research company Media Focus has been monitoring compliance with the voluntary commitment since 2010. It examines TV commercials, advertising in children's magazines and on company brand websites, and, for the first time, advertising on social media profiles.
With the changes in media use among children in the past, this is a logical consequence and further development of the voluntary Swiss Pledge. Advertising promises fulfilled in 2018 Media Focus once again gives the Swiss Pledge companies high marks for 2018. Tina Fixle, Head of Research at Media Focus Switzerland: "We have been monitoring compliance with the Swiss Pledge voluntary commitment since the initiative began in 2010. In 2018, the Swiss Pledge companies once again achieved the target agreement with good results."
Results 2018:
- TV commercials: 99 percent correct
- Children's magazines: 100 percent correct
- Brand websites: 100 percent correct
- Social media: 98.2 percent correct
During one quarter in 2018, Media Focus analyzed all TV spots placed by Swiss Pledge companies. The universe included all public stations, advertising windows as well as private stations.
- During the period under review, 41,219 TV commercials were checked, of which 99.0 percent complied with Swiss Pledge specifications. 418 spots were not placed correctly. TV advertising accounted for 70 percent of Swiss Pledge companies' media mix in 2018. Measured against the total gross TV advertising spend of the food and beverage industry in Switzerland, this corresponds to 25 percent.
- All 63 print editions of children's magazines met the Swiss Pledge specifications. Children's magazines marketed in Switzerland such as: Junior, Kläx, Maky, Rataplan, Spick and Hey Volg.
- All the brand websites of the Swiss Pledge companies audited also met the Swiss Pledge criteria. There were 25 websites in the monitoring.
- In the period under review, 55 social media channels were audited. With 98.2 percent compliant channels, a very good value was achieved. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Snapchat and Flickr were examined. This is despite the fact that the age limit for Facebook, YouTube, Instagram & Co. of 13 years is fundamentally outside Swiss Pledge's age limit for children under twelve.
Swiss Pledge is a voluntary commitment by leading food and beverage producers and hospitality companies. The following companies are Swiss Pledge partners: Coca-Cola, Danone, Intersnack, Kellogg, Mars, McDonaldʼs, Nestlé, PepsiCo, Rivella, Unilever and Zweifel Pomy-Chips. In terms of content, Swiss Pledge is based on the European voluntary commitment EU Pledge. The initiative is open to other market participants who pledge to comply with the minimum criteria. These include:
- Restricted product advertising to children under twelve. Only products that meet defined nutritional criteria may be advertised.
- No product-specific communications to elementary school (children under 12). Unless specifically requested or approved by school administration for educational purposes.
"Advertising to children under twelve" means advertising to a target audience with a minimum of 35 percent children under twelve.
