CARU Recommends MGA Entertainment Depict Adult Supervision in Advertising for Lalaloopsy Baking Oven; Company Agrees to Do So

New York, NY – April 28, 2015  – The Children’s Advertising Review Unit has recommended that MGA Entertainment take steps to better depict adult supervision in future child-directed advertising for the “Lalaloopsy Baking Oven.” The company has said it will do so.

CARU is an investigative unit of the advertising industry’s system of self-regulation. It is administered by the Council of Better Business Bureaus.

A television advertisement for the product came to the attention of CARU through its routine monitoring of advertising directed to children.

The 30-second commercial featured several young girls, several finished and decorated products, and an island shot that includes the product available with an initial purchase. It featured a small video super that states “Adult supervision required,” a voiceover that noted the need for adult supervision and a very brief shot of a woman, out of focus, as a child puts an unbaked product in the oven.

The advertiser contended that the commercial featured adult supervision when the oven was in use. CARU has noted in past decisions that to satisfy the supervision requirement. the supervision depicted must be meaningful and prominent and the act of such supervision must be the adult’s primary activity.

MGA, in its advertiser’s statement, said the company “respects CARU’s conclusions and going forward it will endeavor to consider CARU’s concerns. If a spot for this product is run in the future, we will continue to clearly reflect the necessity for adult supervision when using this product.”