Synthesizing Essay
Synthesizing Advertising and Marketing Techniques Geared Towards Young Consumer
There are a numerous number of well-known corporations that spend over millions of dollars each year in marketing and advertising. Of this amount, an enormous quantity is spent on marketing and advertising directly to children. Corporations have recognized the impact children make when it comes to influencing their parents to purchase a particular product for them. Therefore, a large portion of marketing and advertising is focused on the child consumer rather than the adult consumer. Children younger than eight years of age are lacking cognitive skills and are therefore easily persuaded by the advertisements making them an easy target (Calvert 205). Over the decades corporations have utilized television, branding, children clubs and mascots as ways of enticing the young consumer. Marketing towards children means making sure their product is appealing and catches the attention of the young consumer in order for them to want to go out and purchase that particular product, by purchasing an item themselves or influencing a parent to purchase it for them (Acuff 407) Corporations are interested in boosting their sales. Having a successful marking and advertising strategy will lead to a thriving corporation and rapid growth. However, for parents, this demonstrates a struggle to set parameters at home. Parents could often find it challenging to take their children out to run errands. Relentless begging or pestering by their children parents can be exhausting when waiting in the check line. In the essay, Kids Kustomers by Eric Schlosser, he states “the aim of most children’s advertising is straightforward: get kids to nag their parents and nag them well.” (521) How is it possible for these young consumers to have so much power without having any money? Television, branding, children clubs and mascots are the marketing efforts that are being used to target our children and they have
There are a numerous number of well-known corporations that spend over millions of dollars each year in marketing and advertising. Of this amount, an enormous quantity is spent on marketing and advertising directly to children. Corporations have recognized the impact children make when it comes to influencing their parents to purchase a particular product for them. Therefore, a large portion of marketing and advertising is focused on the child consumer rather than the adult consumer. Children younger than eight years of age are lacking cognitive skills and are therefore easily persuaded by the advertisements making them an easy target (Calvert 205). Over the decades corporations have utilized television, branding, children clubs and mascots as ways of enticing the young consumer. Marketing towards children means making sure their product is appealing and catches the attention of the young consumer in order for them to want to go out and purchase that particular product, by purchasing an item themselves or influencing a parent to purchase it for them (Acuff 407) Corporations are interested in boosting their sales. Having a successful marking and advertising strategy will lead to a thriving corporation and rapid growth. However, for parents, this demonstrates a struggle to set parameters at home. Parents could often find it challenging to take their children out to run errands. Relentless begging or pestering by their children parents can be exhausting when waiting in the check line. In the essay, Kids Kustomers by Eric Schlosser, he states “the aim of most children’s advertising is straightforward: get kids to nag their parents and nag them well.” (521) How is it possible for these young consumers to have so much power without having any money? Television, branding, children clubs and mascots are the marketing efforts that are being used to target our children and they have
Cited: Acuff, Dan S., and Robert H. Reiher, What Kids Buy and Why: The psychology of Marketing to Kids. New York: Free, 1997. Print. Calvert, Sandra L. “Children As Consumers: Advertising And Marketing.” Future of Children 18.1 (2008): 205-234 SocINDEX with full text Web. 22 Mar. 2014. Giroux, Henry A. and Grace Pollock. The Mouse that Roared. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., 2010. 91-132. Print McNeal, James U. Kids as Customers: A Handbook of Marketing to Children. New York: Lexington, 1992. Print. Postman, Neil. “Television as Teacher.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Ed. Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin 's, 2012. 425. Print. Schlosser, Eric. “Kid Kustomers.” From Inquiry to Academic Writing. Ed. Stuart Greene and April Lidinsky. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin 's, 2012. 520-526. Print.