MOST FREQUENT QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

1) What is the Projeto Criança e Consumo (Children and Consumerism Project)?

The Projeto Criança e Consumo (Children and Consumerism Project) was created in 2005 with a view to disclosing and discussing issues related to consumer relations involving children and adolescents, and especially to foster reflection on the consequences of the growing consumerism assailing this social segment. It is part of Instituto Alana (Alana Institute), a nongovernmental organization that has been carrying out educational and cultural activities along with actions to promote social articulation designed to enhance the value of human beings, the collective well-being and the improvement in quality of life since 1994.


2) What is the Project’s mission?

To create awareness among the population regarding the dire consequences of inducing children and adolescents to precocious and exaggerated consumption, and to point out ways of minimizing and preventing the damages caused by marketing communication targeting these young audiences.

In this sense, the Project combats any and all forms of marketing communication directed at children, and seeks to bridge the span between educators, opinion-makers and companies with a view to fostering a dialog on the issue. It is the only organization in Brazil that has been addressing the subject matter in an ongoing and profound manner.


3) Which are the Project’s main lines of activity?

Legal-Institutional and Advocacy: is charged with notifying communications media, advertisers and agencies and with bringing claims and other legal actions before official bodies and public authorities, as well as providing support to government initiatives related to childhood, consumption and advertising.

Education and Research: this area is a reference center for all works developed by the Project. It also extends grants to students who are conducting surveys on this issue, and participates in discussion groups on consumerism at the same time that it encourages interest in research projects related to the issue.

Communications and Events: coordinates the production of audiovisual material to be shown by educational channels; devises international forums; centralizes all media communication actions and content in the Internet portal; and produces a newsletter every fifteen days.


4) How does advertising impact children?

All marketing communication tell children and adolescents that in order to be they must have. This argument is also used to target adults, but children are much more vulnerable to this type of communication since under the age of 12 they are unable to abstract thought, playing a significant role in the world blending fantasy with reality.

The development of food-related disturbances, early erotization, tobacco and alcohol dependence, the predominance of materialistic values, family stress and downscaling of creative playing are some examples of the negative consequences advertising to children may cause.


5) Why is any and all advertising to children abusive?

Advertising to children takes advantage of children’s deficiency of judgment and lack of experience. It resorts to techniques and underhand means of persuasion to reach people under development. Several scientific studies have shown that children are unable to identify or understand advertising as such, thereby violating the principle of identification of the commercial message.


6) Which are the factors that exert greatest influence in children’s choices?

According to a study conducted by TNS InterScience, the factors that exert the greatest influence on children’s choices are: firstly, TV commercials; secondly, celebrities; and thirdly, packaging.


7) What other factors contribute to increasing child and adolescent consumption levels?

We are not innate consumers. Consumption is a habit that children and adolescents learn as they grow. Recent social changes – women who must work double shifts, rising urban violence, substitution of public for private spaces – have also contributed to the fact that children are alone for longer periods of time and, as a result, prey to persuasive messages.


8) What are the differences between consumption and consumerism?

Whereas consumption is an economic activity based on the direct use of generated wealth and presumes rationality, consumerism is the compulsive, chance, unpremeditated, unnecessary and unconscious purchase of goods and services. While a responsible consumer will buy goods and services consciously, a consumerist will buy on impulse, irrationally and without measuring the possible consequences.


9) Are there any laws governing advertising directed at children in Brazil?

There is still no express law banning advertising targeted at youth. However, based on a joint interpretation of the Federal Constitution, the Child and Adolescent Act and the Consumer Protection Code, Brazil is already banning all advertising to children.

Bill No. 5921/01, which provides for a explicit ban to be placed on any advertising directed at children, has been proposed by House Representative Carlos Hauly (PSDB-PR) and is currently being examined by the House of Representives’ Committee for Economic Development, Industry and Commerce.


10) How can we protect children from consumerism?

Try to find alternative forms of entertainment that do not involve any type of communications medium: reading, playing games and cooking with children are some examples. You can even encourage them to play musical instruments or to draw. Try to dissociate meals from TV time, and do not allow the children to spend hours in front of the screen. Also, give them gifts on special occasions only, and encourage them to play because playing is essential to a healthy body, psychological and social development of the young ones.