By JOSIE CLARKE
A conference on selling to children has been postponed because some in the advertising industry fear it could make them look bad.
Called Capturing Kids, the conference was to have run this week in Auckland but has been postponed until November 23 and 24 and renamed Marketing to Kids and Teens.
A promotional brochure promises delegates tips on increasing children's influence over their parents.
Case studies include how Burger King caters to the "emotive needs" of children and teenagers, and what can be learned about fads and hype by studying New Zealand pop act TrueBliss.
Kristine Ruzich, New Zealand manager of the Institute for International Research, the company organising the conference, said the updated event focused more on social responsibility than pure marketing, on the advice of advertisers.
"A number of people were a bit upset by the name of the event in the current climate, with the new Government's big drive on looking after children."
The conference advocated careful and responsible communication with children, she said.
Representatives from a variety of well-known charities and Government-led initiatives for children would be at the conference hoping to improve their image and marketing.
Broadcasting Minister Marian Hobbs said she had no problems with the conference, which seemed to include positive discussion about ethics surrounding advertising to youth.
"How Burger King caters to the emotive needs of kids makes my eyebrows go up, but you can't have one without the other.
"It's the behaviour that comes afterwards that is probably more my target."
Ms Hobbs said she could understand the advertising industry's sensitivity about the conference's theme.
"The ad industry is always worried about how it looks, and there are segments of the community that do worry about this issue and have been very vocal."
Television presenter Mikey Havoc, who is to lead a session about communicating credibly with youth, said advertisers had a responsibility to communicate honestly with children and teenagers.
"If I can help bridge the gap from what I have learned, that advertisers need to respect youth, then I'll do it."
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