Advertisements are a subject that I often think about. Despite my inherent desire to be a journalist and reporter, I do not watch television. I read the newspaper and news online. I try to keep my intake of advertisements to a bare minimum. When I find myself watching television I am appalled at the amount of advertisement that play on my insecurities. Here's an exaggerated version:
Wait, they're saying that if I don't have [insert product name here] I'll never have those rock hard abs? Even more - I'll never be able to meet a guy if I am not perfectly toned and have said rock hard abs.
I feel sad, they say that there are these great new pills that will make me happier - I just have to ask my doctor! Oh wait, there are a whole lot of side effects. HEY! Problem solved, the next ad just was selling a pill that will reverse the side effects of the previous pill, and I can just take [blank] pill to help with the side effects of that....
I feel sad, they say that there are these great new pills that will make me happier - I just have to ask my doctor! Oh wait, there are a whole lot of side effects. HEY! Problem solved, the next ad just was selling a pill that will reverse the side effects of the previous pill, and I can just take [blank] pill to help with the side effects of that....
Sure, this is an exaggerated version of the thought process, however think about what goes through a child's head when they are being force fed products, values and beliefs left and right. It's enough to make an adults head spin - but what about a child's?
Each year the advertising industry spends an estimated $12 billion on ads targeting to children. There are absolutely no regulations on advertising to children. Isn't it a little odd that parents are putting their children in front of a tv screen watching Spongebob Square Pants or Hanna Montana, then put them to bed in their Spongebob sheets, send them to school in their spongebob shirt with a spongebob lunchbox and spongebob text book cover?
This has been incredibly rant-esque. Here are some things you should check out:
The first part of the Mickey Mouse Monopoly
The first part of Consuming Kids
Sources:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/protecting.html
http://www.giaheadquarters.com/60min/GIA_on_60_Minutes.wmv
http://girlsintelligenceagency.com/
Each year the advertising industry spends an estimated $12 billion on ads targeting to children. There are absolutely no regulations on advertising to children. Isn't it a little odd that parents are putting their children in front of a tv screen watching Spongebob Square Pants or Hanna Montana, then put them to bed in their Spongebob sheets, send them to school in their spongebob shirt with a spongebob lunchbox and spongebob text book cover?
This has been incredibly rant-esque. Here are some things you should check out:
The first part of the Mickey Mouse Monopoly
The first part of Consuming Kids
Sources:
http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/protecting.html
http://www.giaheadquarters.com/60min/GIA_on_60_Minutes.wmv
http://girlsintelligenceagency.com/
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