Dubit CEO, Ian Douthwaite, has been appointed by the Advertising Association (AA) to its new youth advertising industry panel.

The panel will provide industry leadership on the way in which advertising and marketing communications engage with children and young people. Its first task will be to address the specific concerns outlined in the Bailey Review including ‘sexual imagery’ on billboards, the use of brand ambassadors and peer-to-peer techniques, the harmonisation of the age of a child and improving industry and regulatory understanding of parental concerns.

Ian’s appointment follows Dubit’s work with the Advertising Association on the development of the Check website – a toolkit for anyone whose business involves marketing and communication with children.

Following his appointment Ian said: “As highlighted in the Bailey Review, the digital age presents new challenges for the marketing industry and rightly places greater responsibility on the shoulders of those communicating with children. As ethical marketers we must ensure that we meet these challenges and face the responsibilities. I’m looking forward to continuing Dubit’s work with the Advertising Association and advancing ethical practices.”

The panel will comprise of a small number of senior practitioners drawn from relevant companies across advertisers, social media, mobile, internet, youth marketing agencies and the internet.  Advice will also be sought from independent academics and children’s and parenting groups. Douthwaite will join Andria Vilder of EMI on the panel, which is being chaired by  Mark Lund, former Chief Executive of the COI and co-founder of the Now agency.