Ban Advertising That Preys on Children - Essay Example

"BAN ADVERTISING THAT PREYS ON CHILDREN" In the United s the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is the one responsible for supposedly enacting rules that would protect the country's children from advertising that take advantage of their helpless and trusting natures. However, Public Law 96-252 prohibits such endeavor further requiring that: "The Commission shall not have any authority to promulgate any rule in the children's advertising proceeding pending on May 28, 1980, or in any substantially similar proceeding on the basis of a determination by the Commission that such advertising constitutes an unfair act or practice in or affecting commerce." (Ruskin) It is said that such prohibition is a form of corporate abuse and that it deviates from the believed role of the Congress to protect children, not those who would prey upon them in any manner. Kids are said to be literally assaulted from morning to night since the ad industry targets them in their homes, schools, and all avenues in between. An expert on marketing to children, Professor James U. McNeal, stated that, "Virtually every consumer-goods industry, from airlines to zinnia-seed sellers, targets kids." Parents and school administrators alike find it improbable to control such influences that bear upon the children. Ironically, some advertisers exploit the children's weaknesses to make them want and eventually buy products. For instance, the President of the Shalek Agency, Nancy Shalek told the Los Angeles Times that "Advertising at its best is making people feel that without their product, you're a loser. Kids are very sensitive to that. If you tell them to buy something, they are resistant. But if you tell them that they'll be a dork if they don't, you've got their attention. You open up emotional vulnerabilities and it's very easy to do with kids because they're the most emotionally vulnerable." (Harris) Oliver James a psychologist stated in The Economic Times that UK is filled with "Affluneza-afflicted consumers [ready] for marketers to play on their [ever-present] desire to constantly compare themselves negatively with others." The "Affluenza" virus is said to be a form of 'sickness' that is greatly caused by materialism. A result of this illness would be depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and personal disorder. Those who are afflicted by this virus watch more television, and are more likely to be dissatisfied with their lives than those who seldom watch. When asked to compare their lives with those they see on the television, they view themselves negatively and inferior compared to these characters. As an example, schoolchildren who compare their own performances in school to the best and brightest pupils they see on television. Without proper adult guidance, these children will develop inferiority that may affect their social skills. Another factor why corporations prey on our children is because of the fact the children can nag, and Cheryl Idell knows a lot about nagging. She has written reports for major companies as read in such articles, "The Art of Fine Nagging" and "Nag Factor". Idell said that nagging can cause frequent buying activities of children's products such as clothing, toys, and video games; or entirely affect the family's diet because of regular trips to fast-food restaurants. She explains further that there are two categories to where nagging falls into. "There is persistent nagging, the fall-on-the-floor kind, and there is important nagging, where a kid can talk about it." (Schoolman) Idell advises numerous corporations that getting kids to whine is better, even better when they can be given "a specific reason to ask for the product." To most ways, it appears as if her task is to make lives miserable since she rates the success of a product to how a child can nag and temptingly ask for it. Some of the most successful companies that belong to the top of this list are McDonald's, Burger King, OshKosh, Disney, and Pizza Hut. (Western Initiative Media World Wide Web) There has been a huge shift in the way society views children. Before children are considered to be helpless and vulnerable beings that need to be nurtured. But now, children are increasingly seen through an economic point of view. In the business industry, children are considered as an economic resource to be taken advantage of. This has been emphasized by a professor of marketing at Texas A&M, James U. McNeal, who also advocated the shift in our thinking from perceiving children as trusting, susceptible humans to be protected to viewing them as "economic resources to be mined." Unfortunately, McNeal sees the source of money in the kids stating that "[the] children are the brightest star in the consumer constellation." Children are not hard to exploit. They tend to be too trusting and because of their innocence tend to believe adults even when they should not. Regrettably, marketers know this, and while children do not realize the motives behind the advertising or comprehend that the products advertised may not be beneficial for them. Advertisers infuse their spiels with messages that prey upon the emotional weaknesses and timidities of children. In addition to, other marketers try to advertise by penetrating into unhelpful and antisocial urges. Rick Litman, a partner at Kid 2 Market Research stated that the goal is "to use youth rebellion to more effectively target a product and sell a product." (Les Enfants and La Pub) For the most part, companies want the children's minds. Julie Halpin, CEO of Gepetto Group states that "[k]ids' marketing in general is becoming more sophisticated." It is a form of a competition for what she calls "share of minds." Furthermore, advertising does not just simply sell products, but a general knowledge in which products are the purposes and ends of life. The effects are what advertisers anticipate and wish for. Almost all problems of young people today are related to something that advertisers tell them to do. For instance, childhood obesity is overwhelming increasing in the past years. Similarly, childhood diabetes is also skyrocketing. And soon, doctors suspect it to become an epidemic. Gambling is also mounting among the young. "This is the first generation of kids exposed to widespread gambling advertising and gambling opportunities," states Randy Stinchfield, a researcher about teenage gambling practices. "Some kids are now seeing gambling as a rite to passage." (Quinn) Smoking is equally an 'in' thing among teenagers. 12th graders start this habit and soon statistics would show that some deaths are result of smoking-related illnesses. These are just a few of the many detrimental effects of the upsurge in materialism. Alarmed by these effects, several European nations have taken measures to help parents and school administrators combat this aggressive psychological exploitation. In Greece, advertisements about toys are banned for children to see between 7:00 a.m. and 10 p.m. However in Sweden and Norway, these ads that are directed for children under the age of 12 are totally barred for viewing. The Swedish consumer ombudsman and chief of Sweden's consumer agency, Axel Edling, explain why: "There were indications that children up to the age of seven were not fully aware of the distinction between TV ads and ordinary programmes. Even older children were not able to understand the commercial process. It is considered that it is not a fair way of dealing with very small consumers because they are being exploited." (Greene) While Europeans are beginning to protect children, the US government however protects corporate advertisers. As previously mentioned, the FTC's advocate was scrapped by Congress since ironically children do not possess the voting privilege while advertisers do with the ability to make large campaign contributions. What then must parents do Although there is no easy way, but parents must do what they can to address and combat this issue. Transform homes into refuge and sanctuary from marketers, advertisers, and media companies. Here are some of the things that parents can initiate in their homes. First, encourage fewer times for watching television. This is the best way to lessen children's exposure to advertising and the harmful effects of materialism. It is said that the people behind the advertisements are the kind of people you do not want to invite into your homes. The fewer of these ads kids watch, the better. Limiting the time for television will also give the children an opportunity to do physical activities such as biking, play ball games, jump rope, fly kite, dance, gardening, gymnastics, walk around the block, and even cleaning their rooms. Second, get rid of video games and keep children away from arcades. On the other hand, encourage them to do more worthwhile and healthy activities such as sports, and games that promote good bonding with their peers. Another is to never take the kids to movies that uphold values you do not believe in. Children deserve wholesome entertainment and that is what they should get. To radiate these acts in a wider scale, school boards should enact policies against commercialism and materialism in the schools to ensure that companies are not allowed to advertise and captured audiences of students. Together with concerned parents, this can actually work. Furthermore, parents should also start support groups to protect kids. There must be communities of people who possess the drive to create better environment for the children. These said groups can materialize two things. Writer, Gary Ruskin said that "they can organize and advocate for children, around coffee tables and in dining rooms across the country, in support of ideas like convincing the Federal Trade Commission to investigate and expose precisely how corporations market to children." Another form could be writing letters and articles strongly criticizing companies that harm children. Citations: 1. Harris, Ron. "Children Who Dress for Excess: Today's Youngsters Have Become Fixated with Fashion. The Right Look Isn't Enough-It Also Has to Be Expensive." Long Angeles Times 12 November 1989: Print. 2. James, Oliver. "Affluenza author asks if it's possible to be an ethical marketer." The Economic Times 25 January 2008: Print. 3. Schoolman, Judith. "Nag Factor' Plays Role in What Parents Buy: Only 31 Percent of Parents Are Immune to Their Kids' Whining." Toronto Star 24 August 1998: Print. 4. "Western Initiative Media World Wide Web." 13 April 2009 . 5. McNeal, James. "Tapping the Three Kids' Markets." American Demographics (1998): Print. 6. "Les Enfants and La Pub," made for French Television, Channel 2, recorded December 1995, aired February 1996. Quoted in Children First: A Parent's Guide to Fighting Corporate Predators (Washington, DC: Children First, 1996), 104. 7. Pollack, Judann. "Foods Targetting Children Aren't Just Child's Play: Shape-shifting Foods, Interactive Products Chase Young Consumers." Advertising Age (1999): Print. 8. Quinn, Andrew. "Teenage Gambling Rising: Survey Calls It the "Silent Addiction"." Chicago Tribune 16 August 1998: Print. 9. Green, Harriet. "Children's Ads under Threat of EU Ban." Campaign (1999): Print. 10. Ruskin, Gary. "Why They Whine: How Corporations Prey on our Children." Mother Magazine Articles. (1998): Web Exclusive. Read More