Rant of the Week! Debt adverts on Kids' TV

MSE_Martin

KIDS' TV CHANNELS ALLOWING DEBT ADVERTS.

More and more I'm hearing of children suggesting parents who can't afford gifts 'go to Ocean Finance' or other similar 'secured debt lenders' - its a hideous disgrace.

I don't know if lenders target childrens' channels to encourage debt "pester power", but it works.

Has this happened to you? I'd love to hear stories. Tell me here. If it's going on - I think we need to campaign about it!

Martin

A Further Thought

If you could also name specific companies, the time of the ad, and the channel, that would be very helpful too

Martin

mini

The adverts are happening a lot, there is one which stops my children in their tracks, I've already started brainwashing the mini minis about silly adverts which want to give you a little bit of money then you have to give them lots of your money, not a good idea, I thought I'd start them young. I suspect it's Nick jr I've seen it on.

Joe-C_4

I've seen it on Channel U, which is an urban/street music channel aimed at the 16 - 21 generation..

Advertising it on childrens channels is a joke! I'd also like to know if they advertise these because of the 'pester power' but I guess we'll never find out.

Mrsbojangles_2

Martin, I couldn't agree with you more, I have long hated the debt adverts on kids TV channels, I think its totally out of order! Not only does it worry children. but what kind of message does it send out to them?

Campaign away, more than happy to join, what do we do??

elona

I agree with you as I have spent ages explaining to my children that it is a con and that you have to pay all the money back plus a lot extra.

mink35

In the interest of research I sat and watched half an hour of Nick toons today (*sn igger*).


As soon as I switched it on there was an advert for debt free direct (www.debtfreedirect.tv)!

leonmanofwar

Hi there
We used to have Nick Junior on our Sky TV digital box but I have cancelled it now. We pretty much watched it all day but ALWAYS between 2.30pm and 4pm everyday and I saw countless debt adverts on there. Just to put it into perspective my son (who is 3 years old) gets his teletubbies in the bath and walks them along the side reciting "are you on a tightrope of debt, credit cards, loans, etc..." They are most impressionable at this age. There are also adverts for car insurance on Nick Junior and every time we see a Direct Line sticker in someone elses car he says "look mummy Direct line save 20 per cent!!". Having said all that I think I prefer explaining these things to him about life, than watching the ads for toys and telling him he can't have them. It is a good way for them to start learning what happens when you get into debt, and none of the adverts I watched suggested consolidating debts so that you buy toys or childrens goods.

l33tsp33k

I think the reason this happens is that Sky often sells advertisers a "package" of ads, and this includes advertising time on all or most of their channels, whether they are appropriate for the target market or not. This is because many of the obscure channels would never be able to fill their ad time by themselves (I mean, who really wants to advertise on UKFood +1 at 3 o'clock in the morning?!), they rely on income from these ads to stay afloat.

There are I believe new rules coming in on advertising junk food on children's TV, maybe there should be tighter rules on advertising anything on childrens channels.

But then in my experience once the kids get past about the age of 8 they prefer to watch the more "adult" channels anyway, so you can't protect them for ever.

Mike

loadsacash

We have Telewest at home an my 4 year old son watches Boomerang.

During intervals we have loads of adverts for Purple Loans, Ocean Finance and Picture Loans and dial for a loan.

I think that there is also many more adverts than during terrestrial intervals. The adverts do seem to repeat themselves more regularly and I have even hear my son quote bits of the advert while it is playing.

jmemmerson

I have already complained to ofcom about this subject.My five year old daughter is repeating some of the adverts at the dinner table and it's just not right! I have seen them on Nick jr and Boomerang. Children should not be subjected to advertising of any sort under the age of eleven. I am right behind any person or group that wishes to take this further.
Thanks

Up_The_Blades

This may or may not help Martin.

When I was a school (80s) a friend's dad worked in sales and got weekly programme schedules for TV adverts (we new when the new choc bars whould be in the shops, in advance!! )
If these still exist may be you could use your media contacts to find out when these ads are on and which channels ??

A friend's 5yr old has asked me if I have any CCJs. :eek: