In an earlier post, I wrote about the role new media has in the life of members of Generation Y. Marketers are effectively using new media to reach youth. But, is it ethical? Marketing to children has long been a topic of discussion-and it seems there are plenty of reasons against it.
Here are a few facts about marketing to children:
- Children are exposed to about 40,000 messages per year, not including product placement.
- Children are often unable to understand the persuasive tactics used in marketing, including the use of spokes-characters.
- Very young children sometimes cannot determine between programming aimed at them and advertising. Even older children do not recognize product placement.
Children are often the recipients of marketing messages because they are incredibly impressionable. They are capable of spending millions of dollars worth of their own money, as well as influencing their parents to spend money. This group is also valuable to marketers because children are future consumers.
Some psychologists say that the massive amount of marketing messages aimed at children is damaging. Here are a few trends uncovered by psychologists:
- One psychological effect of advertising aimed at children seems to be the belief that possessions are the only way to prevent being inferior.
- Psychologists have found a link between constant bombardment by advertising and depression, low self-esteem, anxiety, and conflicts with parents.
- Sexual content has also seeped into advertising aimed at children – sometimes causing premature involvement in sexual activity.
- Obesity among children has risen dramatically, due in part to junk food advertising.
- Glamorization of tobacco and alcohol has led to increased experimentation and usage.
- Marketing can affect the brain development of babies and young children.
- Marketing to children can promote violence.
- Advertising can promote a distorted sense of reality in children.
With new media, there are even more ways for marketers to target children. One way is Web sites targeted at youth. These sites often feature games and are touted as entertainment for children, but are they really?
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Currently listening to: “More Like Her” by Miranda Lambert (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, 2007)
