Marketing Target: Children

It's scary the way we have been commercialized and how our children are now being programmed for a life of consuming, and towards so much of the wrong things. If children are allowed to be 'brainwashed' in any way it should be towards living a healthier and happier life. It should include topics like honesty, nature, charity, healthy food and lifestyles. And parents should not be left alone to fight the huge tide of marketing that promotes and persuades children in the wrong direction.

The New American Dream reviews a book by consumer expert Juliet Schor on this very disturbing trend.

Excerpt

The Commercialized Child and the New Consumer Culture by consumer expert Juliet Schor, explores the damaging effects advertising and marketing have on children. According to this breakthrough research, the advertising-saturated culture our children are exposed to is causing an array of psychosomatic symptoms.

Expenditures for advertising and marketing aimed specifically at children have risen to over $15 billion a year. This amount is likely to grow with the increase in children’s buying power, now estimated at more than $30 billion a year in direct purchases. Children influence an additional $670 billion worth of parental spending, making them a prime advertising target. It’s estimated that the average child watches more than 40,000 television commercials per year. According to a recent poll released by the Center for a New American Dream nearly 8 in 10 of Americans (79%) think there should be more limits on advertising to children. The majority of Americans (87%) think that our current consumer culture makes it harder to instill positive values in our children.

The review cites the book's six tips to help parents reduce children’s exposure to advertising. This is really worth reading if you have kids.

Read the full review at The New American Dream