Advertising To Children

Children represent an ideal target for advertisers and marketers across the world. Not only are they easily influenced by advertising, they are great at encouraging parents to buy these products. If a kid wants something in a kid's locker, they'll prod and annoy their parents until their decorative shelving has what they want. Anyone who's seen a kid pester their parents knows the lengths kids can go to, and all it requires is a little suggestion from a single advertisement to send them on their way.

The food corporation of Mcdonald's at one stage advised employees to specifically target young children. In a campaign titled, "Kid's are the Star" employees were encouraged to pay special attention to the children in the restaurant, and make sure they have a positive experience while they are eating at McDonald's. The reason for this, of course, was not because the McDonald's corporation cares so much about the well-being of children across the world, but that the pester-power that kids have is extraordinarily effective at bringing parents back.

The way that companies target kids is simple. Big, bright lights, happy kids and animated characters are all that's needed to encourage children into thinking a certain thing is something they want. This is because children are very nave, they genuinely believe what an advertiser tells them about the place they are selling. They don't notice that Ronald McDonald is just a guy in a costume and make-up, and that out the back of each McDonald's are a bunch of kids toiling in uncomfortable conditions for low pay.

It brings up a true moral dilemma for those who create the advertising decisions, or at least it should. While manipulating children into believing lies, especially telling them to eat unhealthy foods, is obviously bad, the money that can potentially be made is just so good. How do you say no to an opportunity to have such a wide audience of kids, who act as advertisers themselves when they encourage other children and their mom and dad to use a certain product? The superficial responses they get from eating McDonald's last about as long as they are at the place. This isn't a coincidence, it's a deliberately created ploy. The goal is that kids arrive and consume high amounts of caffeine, salt, sugar and fat. Their system gives an instant positive response, and by the time they're "coming down", you're on the way home.

One of the issues with today's society is we think in the way that is shown in the paragraph above. There is a thought that the impact on children in experiencing damaging media can be "weighed up" against how much money can be made and power can be had. When thinking like this is involved, it is no surprise the world of today is rife with so many problems. If you want the best for your kids, keep them clear from the television as much as you possibly can. It's bad for their brain, and ultimately bad for your wallet! Take them out, not to McDonald's but to the zoo or somewhere they can enjoy life.