Why Is Our Commitment Not To Direct Advertising To Children

444 Words2 Pages

Alex Hool
1/20/17
Period 3
The Hidden Motives of Advertisers
Companies are not being honest with the public. First, they give rewards to children for clicking on ads. Secondly, some brands tell the public they don't market to children even if they do. Finally, many advertisers are making plans to market to children without in forming their parents. All parents need to be aware that advertisers are influencing their children without their knowledge.
Parents are not aware that many child friendly websites are making their children watch ads. For instance, in the article Marketing to Kids Gets More Savvy with New Technologies it states that the Webkinz website, "...posts ads that reward kids with virtual currency when they click. Every time a kid clicks on an ad, there’s a virtual ka-ching at the other end for Ganz, which owns Webkinz" (Horovitz 112). This method is tricking so many young people. These children that do not know that advertisers are taking advantage of them. Parents need to know and understand that the websites that their children go on might have many ads that can influence them. …show more content…

According to the article Not Marketing to Children from the Mars website Mars states, "our commitment not to direct advertisements to children..." (Not 104). Later on, in the same article, Mars acknowledges that they give "Mars-branded educational materials or sponsor sporting events at primary schools...upon the request of schools"(Not 104) with established educational or public service. This demonstrates that Mars is not honest with the public about youth advertising. Parents need to know that companies like Mars are advertising to their children in secret. All companies who do this should come out and tell the