Patrick Whitnall
The Australian Influencer Marketing Council (AiMCO) has created an Engaging Child and Family Influencers Industry Information Sheet that outlines best practice for influencers, agencies and brands when engaging with child and family influencers for campaigns.
The first-of-its-kind information sheet was designed to meet a gap in the protection of child/family influencers and creators, to ensure the same safeguards in place for children in entertainment are applied for influencer marketing.
AiMCO managing director, Patrick Whitnall said it is important to expand child protections to the influencer/creator industry.
"Children working in entertainment, which includes advertising, are protected by laws and regulations in Australia," said Whitnall.
"Awareness and education are required for our members to review how these could be applied to the influencer marketing space, which is something we felt was critically important to address."
More than 275,000 creators are classified as parenting or family influencers in Australia, which accounts for one in five of the creator economy locally.
Influencer marketing campaigns often operate within a child’s private home which means brands and agencies have little to no oversight over the content process.
"This information sheet provides what we consider to be best practice that could be applied," said Whitnall.
"We are recommending that our members consider these in their contracts and briefings to bring awareness and education to legislation that currently only applies to photography, film and TV sets."
AiMCO and the Working Group consulted regulatory frameworks and guidance to create the information sheet, including the Child Employment Authority, the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian and other state and territory authorities, the National Children’s Commissioner, the Australian Association of National Advertisers, and legislation such as the Children’s Guardian Act and Code of Practice and AiMCO’s Influencer Marketing Code of Practice.
A member of the Working Group, Ego Pharmaceuticals’ Courtney Barlow, said it is important to continue to adapt practices for child protections as the child and family sector continues to grow in Australia.
"As a result of being involved in the Working Group and investigating the complex and critically important area of child protection and welfare, we will look to adapt our processes when engaging family influencers," said Barlow.
"The child and family influencer sector is not only new to marketing, it is rapidly growing, and it’s important as brand marketers that we adopt best practice and comply with responsible marketing activity. I’m sure this information sheet will be an invaluable resource for brands and agencies, as well as influencers themselves."
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