Children’s marketing: end of the blue tick

After all the commotion about the ‘Blue tick’ (“conscious choice”), the ‘Green tick’s little brother (“healthier choice”), the foundation ‘I Choose Conciously’ decided that as of 1 August of this year the Blue tick is no longer permitted on ‘products with children’s marketing’. So: no more colourful figures on the packaging and in advertising for products bearing the blue tick. It is one or the other: no further children’s marketing elements in advertising for the product, or no more Blue tick. The end of girl band K3, Sesame Street and Tintin. And also the end of made up animation figures, and use of the words child(ren)/kidzz/infant, etc. in the brand. Why? Because those appeal to children, while  products bearing the Blue tick are not necessarily healthy. They are (merely) a relatively conscious choice within the category of products at hand –  such as snacks. Only drawings of fruits and vegetables are still allowed, as long as they are not figures with arms or legs. Currently existing products that combine a Blue tick and children’s marketing may still be promoted until 31 July 2017. ‘Healthier choice’ + a cheerful children’s-look & feel = from now on, a bad choice. 

For a while at least: the foundation ‘I Choose Conciously’ has meanwhile announced that it will bury the Blue tick altogether: only the truly healthy variant of the Green tick will remain. 

Ebba Hoogenraad