Baby and family products face the most cautious buyer in retail and, in Canada, one rule that changes who the video is allowed to address. Both belong in the brief before anything is filmed.

The Quebec rule applies here

Quebec prohibits commercial advertising directed at children under thirteen. For a baby brand the audience is the parent anyway, but the moment a video starts speaking to an older sibling or to a child watching, it moves into a place the brand did not intend. Speak to the adult, always.

Safety standards are not a selling point, they are a floor

Car seats, cribs, carriers and sleep products are governed by standards. A creator must not improvise about compliance, expiry dates or correct installation. If installation matters, the brand supplies the exact wording, or the video shows the product without demonstrating a safety critical step.

Filming a child needs written permission

Parental authorisation before filming, decided in advance, along with what is shown of the home and whether the child's face appears at all. Many family creators now film hands, feet and backs only, and brands increasingly prefer it.

The buyer is exhausted and specific

New parents do not want inspiration, they want to know whether it fits in their car, whether it washes, whether it works at three in the morning. Content that answers a tired practical question outperforms aspirational family imagery consistently.

Bilingual, and gentler in tone

A national brand needs the French version for Quebec. Beyond the language, the register matters: this audience reacts badly to pressure and to anything that implies they are failing. Calm, factual and specific works in both languages.

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Frequently asked questions

Who should the video address?

The adult, never the child.

Can a creator demonstrate installation?

Only with the brand's exact wording.

Is written permission needed to film a child?

Yes, always, and before filming.

What converts with new parents?

Practical answers, not aspiration.

Sources

Checked on 27 August 2026. Thresholds and rates change: where this guide and the official source disagree, the official source is right.