Regulating marketing to children: Dispelling corporate myths and creating partnership opportunities

A critical component to effective policy strategies to address harmful marketing to youth is a better understanding of corporate rhetoric and myth-making. For example, across the issues of food, tobacco, and alcohol, corporations are fond of claiming that “self-regulation” is sufficient, and that the First Amendment is a complete barrier to regulation, when neither of these is true. In fact, alcohol control advocates have found success in regulating outdoor advertising, limiting the sale of “alcopops,” and implementing other strategies aimed at curbing youth exposure.

This presentation will educate nutrition advocates about how to respond to corporate arguments about the limitations of regulation, as well as describe successful strategies of curbing alcohol marketing aimed at youth. In addition, ideas will be explored among the three panelists for how public health advocates can forge partnerships to work together on effective public health promotion strategies in food, tobacco, and alcohol.