Social Ethics, Children in Advertising

Introduction
Advertisements are powerful and influential construct in todays society. The market
of advertising is aimed at influencing children is worth approximately 700 billion
dollars annually worldwide. The phrase hook them young, have them for life is
commonly used throughout the advertising industry. The nag factor is a term used
to describe childrens effect on the adult consumer market. There are a variety of
different groups, which either support or oppose the rights to market towards children.
1.
Marketing, Advertising and the image of children conveyed to the public by
corporations and companies have changed drastically over the years. The view of a
childs place in a family changed substantially with the introduction of television
programs designed for children such as Hoody Doody in 1947. This seemingly small
development for its time, changed the way advertising was marketed, and them
became the birth of an exclusive demographic worth billions of dollars in todays
society. This initial change brought about a revelation in marketers globally after
James McNeal identified a consumer market for kids in 1969. The traditional family
image before this changed was enacted was of dutiful and respectful child listening to
the authority of the house, the father, and bowing down to his final word. Television
advertisements during the 1970s started to convey a different message to the public
about a childs position in a family. The view of children as an inclusive part of the
family to be cherished and made happy was the new perspective that advertisers were
pushing forward. (2006, How the Kids Took Over)
There are several issues regarding exactly how the advertising industry is targeting
young people, and to the extent to which they shape their development. With over 700
dollars aimed at marketing products towards children, it is only natural for the
morality of such advertising to be under scrutiny. A large portion of this advertising
focuses on the Tween age group. This particular age group is 7-12 years old, and
uses a staggering 10 billion dollars in the advertising industry in Australia alone. With
such a lucrative market to exploit, advertisers use the highest form of research
available to capitalise on profits. Psychologists and anthropologists are used to obtain
key interests of young people in order to market to their wants, desires and needs.
Tweens are a very select marketing demographics and the products designed for
them, to match their desires are not always globally accepted as appropriate products.
Sexualization of children wearing adult replicated clothing is just one example.
(www.bluecard.qld.gov.au)
However, the progression of this industry did not merely stop at one view change. The
market was much more volatile for manipulation. In 1977, George Lucas released
Starwars, and embarked on a risk taking venture to market his film, not only as a box
office best seller but also as groundwork for merchandise sales. Suffice to say his risk
payed off in dividends, and the merchandise sold profited just as much as the movies
themselves. This form of marketing took the world be storm and soon television
shows specifically designed to sell toys and child appealing products were appearing
everywhere. He Man and Carebears are just a couple of strategically designed
television shows to sell products.

Furthermore, the target demographic is ever changing still, despite the multi-billion
dollar industry it is today, expansion is continuing. The latest targets are baby
products. Baby products are the pinnacle of reinforcements for the phrase hook them
young, have them for life These products are designed to appeal to parents willing to
digitalise their babys in or educate them with television programs. Programs such as
Baby Mozart and Teletubbies are the hallmark of product marketing masked as
educational. The consequence of such child development strategies is children
instinctively looking towards a screen for insight and reasoning, which are exactly the
traits marketing are looking for in kids. The prospect of cradle to grave brand
loyalty is a daunting feature of the scope corporations are taking in order to ensure
their continued products.
2.
Graphs in Appendix
The significant factor to notice about Children in Advertising is the way in which
advertisers manipulate the current generation of children into obtaining products. The
nag factor is crucial to an advertisers campaign when analysing a product from an
external source, for example: parents and grandparents. The success of the nagging is
crucial from an advertising/marketing perspective. Market researchers to identify the
inner workings of the child consumer, use a significant amount of resources.
The surveys taken to achieve the results concerning children in advertising were from
a sample of 20 parents of varying ages and 20 children between the ages of 6 and 12.
the results found in the survey were not shocking or outstanding when compared to
existing documentation and articles. The four main items children desired were: toys,
cloths, games and junk food. It makes sense that these items were most prominent in
the graphs as they are the most frequently used items a child a child has access to
everyday. The graphics show very slight differentiation between desired items with a
7% increase in games and 3% in toys from a childs perspective compared to the
parents. The methods in which children nag are slightly different, but overall have a
similar trend. It is not surprising that children are more reserved about expressing
their nagging methods and might not own up to bad behaviour openly. This shows in
the results, with an 8% reduction in bargaining, 13% increase in promising to be
good from the childs point of view compared to the parents.
Two surveys questions, Do you nag your parents to buy things? and How
successful are you? were not show as graphs I this section as the comparisons were
negligible. As an almost unanimous result, both parents and children feel that nagging
takes place sometimes and not always or never. Similarly, They both feel that t he
success rate is sometimes, which coincides with the results from studies done
professionally, that confirm a 70% success rate admitted from parents.
3.
Advertisements are directly linked to products, and these products originate from a
corporation designed to make profits for their owners and employees. It is around this
basic principle, which all advertising revolves around, that there is much debate. The
ethical debate justifying the realms of advertising regarding their audience is ongoing
in todays society.

The impression and manipulation of children is one of the main points coalitions such
as Campaign for A Commercial-Free Childhood (CCFC) advocate as detrimental.
Those who support this notion justify it by moral ground of manipulating innocent
children before they have reached an age of adequate cognitive intelligence. This
degree of cognitive recognition is based around the age in which children can actively
identify and determine the persuasive nature of advertisements and understand their
intent. Studies show that under the age of 6, advertising is automatically believed
33.2% of the time, whereas by age 11 that percentage has dropped to a mere 6.7%.
These impressions projected at children at such a young age can contribute to
problematic portions of society. There are a plethora of issues that are brought up to
support these claims. Obesity, Sexualisation encouraging paedophilia, underage
tobacco use and eating disorders relating to anorexia can all be attributed to
inappropriate advertising to children.
However, on the other side of the argument, there are an equally large if not larger
supporting group for the value of advertising. Psychologist can bee seen on both sides
of the issue. This is partially because of the moral and ethical beliefs, and partially due
to employment opportunity. Clotaire Rapaille is a French anthropologist who
specialises in what he calls reptilian brain functions. Clotaire Rapallies work pays
extremely well at approximately $250, 000 per consultation. Corporations are more
than willing to pay such a handsome wage to someone who can exponentially
increase their profits.
In conclusion, the debate concerning the social issue of advertising towards children
is not finalised by any means. The moral standing for a safer and more nurturing
environment for children to be raised in will always be in the minds of those of high
ethical standards. On the other hand, corporations will insist that that financial
progression is paramount, and economics are the issues the world endures as well.
Whether or not society is moving in the right direction is up for interpretation, but
everyone strives for a better world.

Appendix A
Graphs
What do children nag for?

How do they nag?

Who Gives in the most?