Advocates Seek FTC Probe Of Children's Claritin Campaign
A coalition of public interest groups said on Wednesday that Merck's campaign for grape-flavored Children's Claritin violates a Federal Trade Commission policy against
marketing over-the-counter products directly to children.
The campaign, which involves traditional TV ads, as well as social media promotions, features characters from the animated movie "Madagascar 3." For the campaign, Merck allegedly called on its "Children's Claritin MomCrew" -- a group of bloggers that serve as endorsers for the company -- to hold "Madagascar" viewing parties for children.
The Mom Crew allegedly distributed Claritin samples along with other party favors at the events, then posted photos of the parties to their blogs. At least one Mom Crew member posted a party picture that appears to show five children holding Claritin samples in their hands, according to the advocates.
The critics say these efforts show that the campaign is designed to appeal to children. "Adult caregivers are the appropriate audience for information about such products," the groups argue. Organizations signing the letter include the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, Center for Digital Democracy, Public Citizen and Public Health Institute.
Merck has yet to respond to Online Media Daily's request for comment. But the company reportedly takes the position that the campaign is directed toward parents of children, not the children themselves.
The advocates draw on a 1977 FTC decision involving ads in comic books for vitamin supplements. The FTC criticized marketing vitamins directly to children, reasoning that ad campaigns directed at kids could lead them to take an unhealthy quantity of vitamins. "Merck's use of "Madagascar" characters in its marketing campaign for OTC Grape-Flavored Children's Claritin allergy chewable tablets and syrup creates the same danger," the critics argue.
They are asking the FTC to investigate and "send a clear message that child-directed marketing of OTC drugs is unfair and deceptive."
Recent Online Media Daily Articles
-
Millennial Expands Video Ad Options June 19, 11:44 a.m.
Mobile ad network Millennial Media is stepping up its video ad offerings with the launch of ... -
CIMM Issues Request For Data, Cross-Platform Metrics June 19, 9:29 a.m.
The Coalition for Innovative Media Measurement (CIMM) said it has issued a request for proposals involving ... -
Heads Or Tails: Facebook Grows A Long One, Surpasses 1 Million Advertisers June 19, 7:48 a.m.
Facebook has reached an important ad industry milestone, becoming one of the few mega platforms to ... -
Consumer Action: Most Web Users Want Control Over Tracking June 18, 8:20 p.m.
Most Web users have expectations about privacy that appear to be at odds with current practices ... -
Affiliate Channels Attract Global Buying, Tailored Marketing Programs June 18, 5:54 p.m.
The Internet continues to make the world smaller for affiliate marketers, but there are physical challenges ... -
Motorola Hires Digitas For Global Media Account June 18, 5:43 p.m.
Google-owned Motorola has appointed Publicis Groupe’s Digitas to handle global media duties, according to sources. Those ... -
Microsoft Rolls Out Ad Pano, Mobile Ad Format June 18, 3:03 p.m.
With the help of the broader ad industry, Microsoft this week is rolling out a mobile ... -
Kiip Debuts Self-Serve Option For Advertisers June 18, 2:23 p.m.
Mobile rewards network Kiip has added a self-serve option for advertisers aimed at attracting more small- and medium-sized ... -
Mindshare Taps Elkins As Managing Director, Digital, West Coast June 18, 1:51 p.m.
Mindshare, part of WPP's GroupM, has tapped digital marketing veteran Amy Elkins to be managing director, ... -
Blogging Stake: WPP Invests In Muzy June 18, 9:12 a.m.
WPP has taken a stake in Muzy Inc., an early-stage micro-blogging service focused on mobile content ...
1 comment on "Advocates Seek FTC Probe Of Children's Claritin Campaign".
Leave a Comment