"CONSUMING KIDS"

Brand loyalty for life is a matter of getting children to recognize from cradle to grave and turn them into life long consumers. But have we taken the time to understand the long range effect on our children's self esteem and understanding of who they are?

With their leniency with the Federal Trade Commission Improvement Act, ipods, cell phones, computer games, DVD's, text messaging, lunch boxes, back packs, dress appliques, discount coupons, comic books, media literature band items, school walls, school busses, soft drinks, field trip classes, zoos, bathroom mats, towels, pillowcases, sleeping bags, hats, shirts, tee-shirts, bus radio, skateboards, DVD's in cars (to calm them down), Channel One in classes, chat lines, web kids and games sites, advanced academic research projects (in the classrooms), preliminary advertising before movies, magazines, television commercials, focus groups, ethnographic research (filming children as they are eating breakfast, in the grocery stores, wathcing children experience health and beauty products), talking to their friends, friendship circles, classrooms products, Girls Intelligence Agency/"slumber products in a box", other children, friends, and going to the mall exploded the gallant in advertising to children.

My friend forwarded this little nugget on how marketers try to make parents absolutely miserable when children can not have what they need:

"Consuming Kids throws desperately needed light on the practices of a relentless multi-billion dollar marketing machine that now sells kids and their parents everything from junk food and violent video games to bogus educational products and the family car.

PG-13 or R has a whole line of toys for elementary school children, what is wrong with this?

Drawing on the insights of health care professionals, children’s advocates, and industry insiders, the film focuses on the explosive growth of child marketing in the wake of deregulation up to 30% a year or $40 billion dollar a year. Youth marketers have used the latest advances in psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience with "high test blinking tests" to transform American children into one of the most powerful and profitable consumer demographics in the world."

IS THIS BECAUSE OF THE INTERVENTION OF BIG GOVERNMENT?

OR IS THIS ETHICALLY SOCIALIZING AND MOBILIZING CHILDREN into accept brand name items or none at all?

"Some behavioral scientists argue that anti-social behavior in the event of getting to the product" is really desireable and adds to the increase of symbolic advertising. Symbolic advertising leads to social "coolness". And socialized "coolness" define who you are, is what you wear, what you own, and what you require leading to values.

brands can not make us happy but this is the message that is being conveyed.

Self indulgence and self gratification becomes "me", "me now" and "me and these things".

This is a deservice to children. Because children mistake the items for whom you are.

Early 50's the child wanted to be like their mother and father or other role models.

Early 70's the children were beginning to change regarding their psyche and growing up fast with desires to be older than they were. By the late 80's children started answering the question with "being rich, having a lot of stuff " and being mature faster.

Children 10 and 12 years old are reading Seventeen Magazine.
Belly shirts are seen as "being like" Brittany Spears.

Boys emerged into destruction, shooting, images of power, domination, and virtual reality games. Children learn fighting is needed to resolve differences and watching violence is fun and entertaining!?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=PL2BE2F38D58B82410&feature=player_embedded&v=kKHwZPwI-WQ#!

Now we may have to start seeing this as rights for children to grow up. Parents, Grandparents and guardians must learn to raise their children appropriately instead of selling products and services.

Life should be about human relationships and how we identify our caring for one another . . . wonder why corporations are picking on children to buy their products?

Your comments welcomed . . .