The Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB) is engaging the children's advertising industry to assist in a review of its self-regulatory guidelines for children's advertising.

The review will be lead by Joan Z. Bernstein, a public member of the CBBB board of directors and former director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection at the Federal Trade Commission. Bernstein is an attorney in the Washington, D.C. office of Bryan Cave LLP.

"CARU is focused on providing the children's advertising industry with the best possible guidance. CARU's Guidelines, which were written more than 30 years ago, affect all children's advertisers," said Steven J. Cole, president and CEO of the Arlington, VA-based CBBB, a partner in the National Advertising Review Council (NARC) and CARU's administrative parent. "To be sure they reflect the changing environment and full range of marketing issues that have become important in recent years, it makes sense to examine them in their entirety."

The project encompasses the work underway to examine interactive online games, paid product placement in children's television and the appropriate use of third-party licensed characters. Advertisers, regulators and consumer groups will be asked to participate.

Following the review period, Bernstein will present the group's recommendations to the NARC board. NARC sets policies and procedures for CARU. Following approval by the NARC board, the recommendations will be posted for public comment. Following the comment period, the NARC Board will consider and act on the recommendations.