Marketers turn to contests, events to reach children

As advertisers are becoming wary about publishing ads in children's magazines, more companies are looking to sponsor games, contests, and events to get past concerns about clarity and disclosure, according to a story in The New York Times.

In particular, these concerns include the growing rates of obesity and diabetes among children. Recent sponsorship programs with children's magazines have included the Wendy's "Sports dad of the Year" and Pepperidge Farm's "Design-Your-Own-Game Contest."

Claudia Malley, SVP for global media and advertising for National Geographic, told the paper: “Instead of just a straight selling of a product, it's all about how we tell the message in the magazine and how we engage with the kids."