Task07: Advertising & Ethics
The Advertising Is Aimed At Children Ethical
You see it everywhere and much of it seems to try and be subtle. Everything a child picks up these days has some type of advertising on it. Cartoons are no longer fun and silly; they are long commercials for certain toys or television programs. One of the biggest advertisers to children today is Hannah Montana. Everyone wants to wear her clothes, have her book bags and do whatever they can to be like her.
One of the most important questions we have to ask ourselves is what this is doing to our children. Back in the 60s and 70s advertising was more subtle. When you asked a children growing up in that environment what they wanted to be when they grew up, you probably would find lots of teachers, presidents or doctors.
Today when you ask kids that same question you probably will get a variation of making money. The kids today have turned into a group of materialistic non-thinkers and many think this has to do with the advertising that goes directly to them.
Advertising has damaged children to a large extent. When you go to any toy department you can see how. The kids are literally begging parents for the newest and brightest advertising specialty. Whether it’s the newest Wii gadget or the new Xbox, children are clamoring to be first in line. Many feel that if they do not have these things, they will not be liked by their peers.
One current television commercial shows a young boy advertising Dish Network. He’s about 12 and all of his friends come over to watch their special shows with him because they either don’t have cable or their cable isn’t working. He tapes everyone’s show and feels superior and self satisfied because he can help his friends.
Hannah Montana Merchandise
Is Advertising Aimed At Children Ethical?You see it everywhere and much of it seems to try and be subtle. Everything a child picks up these days has some type of advertising on it. Cartoons are no longer fun and silly; they are long commercials for certain toys or television programs. One of the biggest advertisers to children today is Hannah Montana. Everyone wants to wear her clothes, have her book bags and do whatever they can to be like her.
One of the most important questions we have to ask ourselves is what this is doing to our children. Back in the 60s and 70s advertising was more subtle. When you asked a children growing up in that environment what they wanted to be when they grew up, you probably would find lots of teachers, presidents or doctors.
Today when you ask kids that same question you probably will get a variation of making money. The kids today have turned into a group of materialistic non-thinkers and many think this has to do with the advertising that goes directly to them.
Advertising has damaged children to a large extent. When you go to any toy department you can see how. The kids are literally begging parents for the newest and brightest advertising specialty. Whether it’s the newest Wii gadget or the new Xbox, children are clamoring to be first in line. Many feel that if they do not have these things, they will not be liked by their peers.
One current television commercial shows a young boy advertising Dish Network. He’s about 12 and all of his friends come over to watch their special shows with him because they either don’t have cable or their cable isn’t working. He tapes everyone’s show and feels superior and self satisfied because he can help his friends.
Hannah Montana Merchandise.
The Psychology Of Advertising To Children
Not only are children being bombarded by this advertising but the advertisers have help. Now leading psychologists are actually working alongside advertisers to tell them how to market to children aged 3 to12 and why these children do what they do. This has become such a problem that some psychologists are up in arms about it, and have taken the issue to the American Psychological Association (APA) to try and get some standards put on this situation.
The APA has created a task force to look into this issue because so much is being said about it. The task force will be examining the effects of advertising on children and the role of psychologists in the process. Some psychologists protest this action because they do not see it as doing anything wrong. They feel that by helping advertisers they are helping children become better consumers.
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