To tie in with Farm Safety Week, which takes place from the July 15– 19, the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI), reminds advertisers of their requirements when creating ads set in an agricultural setting. The ASAI wants to highlight what advertisers need to be aware of when featuring children in ads that have an agricultural focus.
The ASAI’s code of standards for advertising and marketing communications states that marketing communications should be prepared with a sense of responsibility to consumers and to society. It also says that marketing communications should not encourage or condone dangerous behaviour or unsafe practices and rules which are specific to children.
It asks advertisers to be mindful that children may imitate what they see in marketing communications, and given that, they should not be encouraged, whether directly or indirectly, to copy any practice that might be deemed to be unsafe. ASAI chief executive Orla Twomey said that while the authority is not a safety organisation, the code has safety rules.
“Advertisers have a particular responsibility around the inclusion of children in marketing communications, including ads in an agricultural setting. Advertisers should be aware of safe distances between children and machinery depicted in ads and safety around animals. They shouldn’t show behaviour that if imitated, could result in a child being hurt,” Twomey added.
Pictured above are ASAI chief executive Orla Twomey and ASAI member Catherine Bent
