The Guardian has questioned the ethics of recruiting school children to act as 'on the street' marketers for bands. Schools were added into the music marketing mix years ago of course, but the paper is challenging the schemes used most effectively by Universal Records to sell Busted, McFly and V where by teenage fans get free stuff in return for distributing posters and flyers for the bands at their school, and are encouraged to vote for said bands in any online polls, to request their tracks on local radio stations, and to talk up releases in chat rooms. The paper quotes John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, who reportedly said of the label's marketing strategy: "These methods are unacceptable."
In response Universal Records says: "We've been running the school chairman scheme for over two years now, and we've not had one single complaint from any child, school or parent. What's more, the children do really enjoy doing it."
Certainly the kids interviewed by the Guardian were positive about the label's marketing scheme, and surely compared to schools using Pepsi branded exercise books, Universal's strategy to involve teenagers in the promotion of bands they are already huge fans of isn't that much to worry about.