Commercial Advertising in Schools
Many public schools in the United States face continual budget shortcomings to finance their needs for books and equipment to teach children using the latest advances in technology. During the early 1990s, advertisers recognized the needs and began efforts to assist schools with equipment in exchange for advertising products in schools. Advertisers gain a triple benefit: delivering advertising messages to children, their parents and educators. Advertising in schools is a controversial topic, but one that advertisers are often successful in overriding. Advertising messages are now a part of studies, supplies, equipment, school bus transportation and more.
Other People Are Reading
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On-Premises Advertising
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In the past it was common for high school sports teams to get local businesses to place ads on programs and booklets for football, basketball and baseball games. Today, major advertisers are providing schools with high-tech scoreboards in exchange for advertising their logos and products. Soft drink companies install vending machines as permanent fixtures to advertise their brands inside cafeterias and hallways. Some companies have also been successful in using corridors and hallways to place versions of advertising billboards.
Books, Equipment and Materials
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Advertisers explore opportunities to sponsor the costs of books, materials and teaching aids for classroom instruction. Materials can include software, videos, television, audio equipment, posters, workbooks and more. They are provided to schools, educators and students on a low- to no-cost basis. For example, an advertiser can sponsor the publishing costs for a book with or without a full advertising message or simply display a logo to identify that they have sponsored the materials.
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Channel One
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In 1990, Channel One News was launched to provide 12-minute daily broadcasts on top news topics to students nationwide. Today, Channel One reaches students in more than 350,000 middle and high school classrooms. Stories cover national and global news headlines, with teens and middle school students serving as news anchors and reporters. Channel One is the recipient of several distinguished honors including a George Foster Peabody Award for coverage of the Sudan humanitarian conflict in 2005, along with awards from journalism groups and the film and television industry.
School Bus Advertising
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Many school districts and communities are approving the use of advertising on school buses. The funds are used to offset transportation costs, and, in some cases, to prevent the elimination of school bus transportation services. The advertisers pay a fee to place advertising on the sides of school buses. "School districts say it's practically free money, and advertisers love the captive audience that school buses provide," reported ABC News.
Controversy
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Advertising in schools and to students has not gone without controversy. Many groups have opposed the tactics, regardless of the financial benefits for schools. Groups such as parent/teacher organizations, community action coalitions, and religious and consumer affairs organizations continue to track and monitor advertising in schools and prepare guidelines and recommendations for consideration by school boards and governing bodies. However, there are no federally mandated requirements or guidelines for advertising in public schools.
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References
- Photo Credit school bus and notebook with pen isolated on white background image by Alexey Klementiev from Fotolia.com
