Why Is Nissan Advertising To My 3 Year Old?

Here’s an example of Apple’s iAd system not working how it’s supposed to – or at least how we hope it won’t. The image above is from the the iPad app Tortoise & The Hare by Auryn Inc.

The paid-for app clearly states that its for children but a poorly positioned ad promotes the Nissan Quest. I only realized that the app had a game when I found my son playing on a Nissan microsite and then worked out how he got there. Why is a car manufacturer advertising in a kid’s game? We contacted Nissan for a comment but got no response.

As a parent, you consider app environments designed for children as safe – but the addition of advertising that is mis-targeted means that apps that carry iAds can take children off to places on the web that parents consider inappropriate. App makers, brands like Nissan and their media buyers need to take more care and attention to this matter.