Marketing Products Toward Children

Growing up with a younger brother made me realize two things: I never have to do chores, and that I’m glad I am the oldest. Persuading my younger brother to do my chores was as easy as saying, “Do you want to do the dishes?” in a loud, exciting voice. TV advertisements toward children are similar in the sense that they take advantage of children’s innocence to persuade them to buy their products. Marketing products toward children is harmful because it corrupts the minds and bodies of our youth.

Marketing products toward children distorts their views of normality, and everyday life. Companies portray their products as things that normal people use regularly, and without those, one is considered not normal. Corporations set a bar in which

“Around puberty, in their early teens, children are forming their own identities and they are “highly vulnerable to pressure to conform to group standards and mores.” During this transition, teens are more easily persuaded by advertisers because they feel an urge to fit in with their peers. Insecurities already make children and teens feel bad about themselves, but by targeting aspects of a teen that they don't like can be harmful. By targeting teens insecurities advertisers can actually make kids feel worse about themselves. Without the proper snacks not all families can afford, and child can become to feel even more insecure due to the fact that they don’t have the same products as normal teens. Not only can food products bring on unwanted insecurities, clothing companies can reach young girls and boys by using models with unrealistic standards for young girls. Source C explains, “Advertising manipulates them through their insecurities, seeking to define normality for them; influencing the way they “view and obtain appropriate models for the adult world.” Often times young viewers will try to replicate the models and end up with physical and mental problems. Many young women in this current generation are chasing after the look of Kylie Jenner. Recently the web has been infected by videos of young girls doing the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. In this challenge, girls are to take a small glass and put it over their lips until their lips are pulled tightly into the glass. The outcome is large lips and bruises around one’s mouth. Many young girls partake in this challenge to have their lips look similar to Kylie Jenner’s, knowing it can result in bruising and swelling. By targeting teens with ads, companies have the ability to manipulate teens into believing