Consuming Kids

Charlie Merry
Marketing Blog
1/25/14
Prof. Popovich
Blog 2: Consuming Kids
Words: 520


During class this past week, we watched a video entitled Consuming Kids. Throughout this video we learned about the current state of marketing that's geared towards children. The overall theme was the amount of advertising that's specifically designed to attract kids. This has been a controversial topic in the United States for many years. Since Ronald Reagan's groundbreaking decision to deregulate the advertising industry, marketers have been increasingly targeting young kids.


Moral questions arose and I couldn't help but feel disgusted by these advertisers. Is it right targeting impressionable young children? Will this increased stimulus negatively affect the modern generation? Companies will stop at nothing to invade the lives of America's youth so they can influence them from "the cradle to the grave." One expert on the whole situation likened marketers to child molesters. These companies hire a staff to research the wants and needs of the younger demographic. Reports have even been done which involve companies filming kids in the bathroom to find out their preferential bathroom items. I personally don't like how these companies are using our private information to sell items.


For example, when you sign up for a website or search the internet, companies pay to get access to this information. Once the companies know what you're more likely to buy, they put ads on the web page that would likely attract you. I find this to be a bit creepy and consider it an invasion of privacy. I've been personally subjected to this targeting whether it's online or through the mail that I receive. These companies want your loyalty and will stop at nothing to obtain it.


However, I also realize that the bottom line is profits. People are under plenty of pressure to produce results or risk losing their job. Morality can take a backseat when your livelihood is at stake. Furthermore, it can be helpful when ads suited to you are conveniently placed before you. Growing up in this age of stimulus and advertising I can now look back and realize that these marketers essentially had me brainwashed. I would believe most things that were said in a commercial and couldn't help but want the newest products or the cereal with my favorite cartoon character in them. This new age of marketing makes it seem that material items will make you happiest. I realize now that this is a flawed way of thinking, but as an impressionable young kid, I didn't know any better.


Overall, this is the debate unfolding before us. People in favor of deregulation argue against governmental interference in business, while people against deregulation have problems with companies targeting the youth. There are compelling arguments for both sides, but it will be hard to envision there being a change. Companies are finding success targeting the youth and the kids clearly don't mind the stimulus. While there may not be a solution anytime soon, the movie shed an interesting light on the ad industry. I would highly recommend this film to anyone with a with a spare amount of time.