ATL

Children are highly influenced by brands and logos - ATL

Children are highly influenced by brands and logos, with 85 per cent of teachers saying the possession of fashion and branded goods is important to their pupils, according to a survey by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL).

The survey of 380 support staff, teachers and lecturers working in schools, sixth form and further education colleges around the UK showed children's desire to fit in and be like everyone else in their class and school seems to play a huge role in the items they want to own. Teachers ranked brands, friends and logos as the top three influences on what children buy - respectively rated by 93 per cent, 91 per cent, and 77 per cent of teachers as the key influences.

Worryingly 46 per cent of teachers said young people who cannot afford the fashion items or branded goods owned by their peers have been excluded, isolated or bullied as a result.

A teacher from a school in Derbyshire said: "Goods identified with 'cheap' logos become the brunt of regular name-calling and bullying. The 'geek' is isolated."

Andy Cranham, a teacher from City of Bristol College, said: "The need to belong in groups is paramount to young learners and exclusion is something they see as the end of the world."

Sheila Bell, who teaches in Cumbria, said: "They need to be up-to-date, otherwise they get left out and have low self esteem."

Tamsin Buckingham who teaches in a secondary school in Surrey said: "It is often the children who you would expect to have least, eg family on benefits, who have all the branded stuff and tease others."

The influence of advertising and marketing on children is believed to be far more significant than five years ago according to 40 per cent of teachers, with 73 per cent saying it has increased on ten years ago. Teachers overwhelmingly believe - 98 per cent - that advertising directly targets children and young people.

So it is unsurprising that teachers believe children and young people exert a considerable influence on their parents' buying decisions - with 64 per cent saying children have a considerable influence on the purchase of food, branded goods, entertainment and holidays.

A teacher from a secondary school in Kent said: "Parents give in to children's demands far more readily...... this is fuelled by advertising."

Ann Seddon, from Manor Field Infant school in Hampshire, said: "A lot of advertising companies blatantly target children without any consideration for the parents of those children."

Dr Mary Bousted, general secretary of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL), said: "This survey confirms the huge pressure on young people to fit in with their friends and peer groups. It is incredibly sad to hear how many youngsters are bullied or isolated for not having the same clothes or accessories as their classmates. Advertising and marketing have made our society increasingly image-conscious and our children are suffering the consequences.

"Schools and colleges should be places where all children feel equal, but it is virtually impossible for schools to protect their pupils from the harsher aspects of these commercial influences.

"We are worried these pressures will further intensify as schools and colleges look for more help from commercial sponsors to provide IT, sports and science equipment, teaching materials and food. "

ends

Note to editors:

1. ATL surveyed 380 people working in schools, sixth form and further education colleges throughout the UK in June 2008.

Key findings:

Are children more aware of advertising than they were x years ago?

2 years ago
13.4% (51)

5 years ago
27.4% (104)

10 years ago
32.1% (122)

Don't know
27.1% (103)

Does advertising directly target children and young people?

Yes
97.6% (371)

No
1.3% (5)

Don't know
1.1% (4)

How much influence do children and young people have on what their parents buy - food, branded goods, entertainment, holidays?

Considerable
64.2% (244)

Some
33.7% (128)

Little
1.1% (4)

None
0

Don't know
1.1% (4)

Are children and young people influenced when buying things by any of the following? Mark all applicable.

Brands
93.1% (353)

Logos
76.8% (291)

Company's ethical policy
3.7% (14)

Green issues
9.8% (37)

Celebrities
74.9% (284)

Friends
90.8% (344)

How important is the possession of fashion items and/or branded goods to children and young people?

Extremely
34.1% (129)

Very
51.3% (194)

Neither important or unimportant
7.4% (28)

Unimportant
4.5% (17)

Don't know
3.2% (12)

Have children or young people who cannot afford fashion items and/or branded goods been excluded, isolated or bullied by their peers?

Yes
46% (173)

No
54% (203)

Are any of your school/college resources - books, work sheets, teaching aids, sports equipment, computers - sponsored by companies?

Yes
14.2% (54)

No
51.1% (194)

Don't know
35.3% (134)

Is there any corporate advertising around your school/college?

Yes
34.4% (128)

No
65.6% (244)

Have sponsored resources and/or advertising in your school/college had any impact on teaching and learning?

Yes
6.1% (17)

No
54.1% (151)

Don't know
40.1% (112)

2. The Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL) is an independent, registered trade union and professional association, representing approximately 160,000 teachers, headteachers, lecturers and support staff in maintained and independent nurseries, schools, sixth form, tertiary and further education colleges in the United Kingdom.

3. ATL exists to help members, as their careers develop, through first rate research, advice, information and legal advice.  

4. ATL is affiliated to the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU), European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE) and Education International (EI).  The union is a member of the Social Partnership - working with the UK Government, employers and other unions on education issues.   ATL is not affiliated to any political party and seeks to work constructively with all the main political parties.