"Mom! I Want That!" Advertising

Elizabeth Harris  
eh109111@ohio.edu
 
In today’s society, it is constantly said that advertising negatively impact our children. Most specifically, many people say commercials tend to sway the desire and wants of the youth. Whether or not it is necessarily true that all commercials geared towards children can have a negative impact of their minds, it is evident that advertising professionals know how to target children to get results.

“Mom! I want that!” 

I can clearly remember seeing commercials as a young child and saying “Mom I want that!” Especially on channels geared toward children like Nickelodeon, advertising professionals strategically place commercials to target children in a way that they will beg their parents to purchase a certain product. This then leads to children constantly feeling like they need to have certain materialistic items because everyone else has it.

For example, when I was a young child (probably around the age of eight) Bratz Dolls were one of the latest craze. During many of the television shows I watched, advertisements for the dolls were constantly playing. Although it is embarrassing to admit, every time I would see one the ads I would plead and plead my mom to buy one for me; all my friends had them so I needed one too. However, due to the sexual connotation the doll gave off, my mom refused to allow me to get a Bratz doll. However, like many parents will end up doing, my mom finally “caved” and allowed me to get my beloved Bratz Dolls due to my constant nagging that was caused by the constant advertising. Situations like this are exactly what advertising professionals hope will happen when targeting children. 
 

                                                                            Above is a video of including some of the Bratz Doll commercials that led                                                                          many girls, myself included, to immediately ask their parents to purchase the doll.

Advertising Unhealthy Food

One of the most advertised products to children is unhealthy food. According to the American Psychological Association, twenty percent of the youth is over weight.  In addition, children ages eight to eighteen spend forty four and a half hours per week in front of the television, computer, etc; the adverting that they see while on these types of media does not by any mean help the obesity crisis. In fact, fifty percent of the advertisements during children’s programs advertise junk food. Therefore, children constantly see the junk food commercials, leading them to beg their parents to take them to that fast-food place or buy that sugary cereal. Overall, the constant advertising of healthy food can brainwash children into thinking that unhealthy food is the best food.

How to Make a Change

Some parents choose to make a stand and not let their children watch any type of television. This solution is extreme; however, it does keep children away from the negative aspects of advertising.
The Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood’s mission is to “Support parent’s efforts to raise healthy families by limiting commercial access to children and ending the exploitive practice of child-targeted marketing.” Overall, instead of eliminating advertising, they hope to make a change to the advertising practices that target children. A change needs to be made to eliminate the “I want this, I need that” entitlement that faces all children today.