Ever wondered why
American youth behave as they do? Could there be a link between their behavior
and the advertising industry? According to the article “The Influence of
Advertising,” some marketing professionals psychologically manipulate children
to increase product appeal and bolster sales (http://www.squidoo.com). In the
intensely competitive capitalistic society of America, advertising is a
multi-billion dollar (http://www.apa.org) industry and an essential element of
business and consumerism. Through various media outlets—television, magazines,
the Internet, radio, movies, textbooks, and smartphones—youths are bombarded
with slick and powerful appeals (http://www.wakingtimes.com). Children’s natural
trust, gullibility, curiosity, absence of objectivity, and lack of critical
thinking skills, renders them dangerously vulnerable to marketing manipulations
and exploitations. Resultantly, advertising negatively sways American youths
encouraging choices detrimental to their nutritional, behavioral, and moral
well being. Yes, American youths are not only the targets of many advertising schemes,
but also the unwitting casualties in the battles for product sales, and
lifelong patronage.
Consider firstly
the fast food industry and the negative impact of advertising on the
nutritional choices of America’s young people. Obesity and relative inactivity
among youths are serious and growing concerns according to the American
Psychological Association (http://www.apa.org). They directly attribute these
developments to children’s excessive exposure to fast food advertising by stating,
The childhood
obesity epidemic is a serious public health problem that increases morbidity,
mortality, and has substantial long term economic and social costs. The rates
of obesity in America’s children and youth have almost tripled in the last
quarter century. Approximately 20% of our youth are now overweight with obesity
rates in preschool age children increasing at alarming speed.... Research has
found strong associations between increases in advertising for non-nutritious
foods and rates of childhood obesity (http://www.apa.org).
Accordingly an article entitled,
“The Influence of Advertising” reported, “Some experts indicate that the
average American child views over 40,000 television commercials each year”
(http://www.squidoo.com). Because America’s young people, “ages 8 to 18,” are
being bombarded by fast food commercials from many media outlets and spend more
than 44 hours a week engaging the media, obesity has become a national concern
(http://www.squidoo.com).
Figure 1 Source: Covington, W. |
Secondly, advertising
that glamorizes alcohol has detrimentally influenced lifestyle choices among American
youths. The pervasive nature of advertising literally inundates young people
with unhealthy ads promoting the use of beer, distilled spirits, and wines
(http://pediatrics.aappublications.org). Such exposure likely stimulates and
drives early teenagers’ infatuation with alcohol. According to John’s Hopkins
Bloomberg School of Health, about 4,700 young people die annually from
“excessive alcohol consumption” (http://www.camy.org). In an article entitled, “Exposure of African
American Youth to Alcohol Advertising,” the same university reported, “Alcohol is
the most widely used drug among African-American youth and contributes to many
health and social problems, including violence, motor vehicle crashes, and the
spread of sexually transmitted diseases” (http://www.camy.org). Another
critical point they highlighted was the link between African-American youth
drinking and advertisements that target them. They write,
At least 14
longitudinal studies have found a significant association between youth
exposure to alcohol marketing and underage drinking, even after controlling for
other factors that could potentially influence this relationship (e.g.,
socioeconomic status and parenting style). Specifically, these studies have
found that youth exposure to alcohol marketing can increase the likelihood that
young people will start drinking at younger ages, and, if they already consume
alcohol, that they will drink more, increasing the risk of alcohol-attributable
harms (http://www.camy.org).
Research demonstrates
that African-Americans are targeted, subjected to, and overexposed to alcohol
advertisements considerably more than other ethnic groups. In fact, the Center
on Alcohol Marketing and Youth observed that there is excessive exposure to
alcohol through various media outlets within these same communities through
radio, billboards, and in magazines (http://www.camy.org). Non-discerning young
people take what they see in the media as portrayals of reality. Consequently,
they are violently misled by the marketing exploits of the alcohol industry.
Figure 2 Source: Zastrow, C. |
Thirdly, advertising unfavorably effects
morality, social values, and the culture of American youth. The power of the
media and advertising cannot be over stated. Commercials address every facet of
life promoting products and creating a perception of value for the potential
child customer. Appealing to the natural
desire for significance, they present their toys, games, cars, clothing brands,
athletic footwear, accessories, sexy bodies, and soft drinks promising they
will make the consumer most special. Appealing to the basic desire to belong
and feel love, they parade a seductive concoction of cosmetics, perfumes,
jewelry, colognes, spirits, beers, fashion products, and sex
(http://www.studymode.com) before their audience virtually guaranteeing
universal acceptance if one buys their product. This is done in the hope of
lifelong patronage. Their marketing strategies include frequent appeals,
product popularity, celebrity endorsement, sensuality, narcissistic indulgence,
product placement, and peer pressure. Such ploys are launched anticipating an
industry return of nearly one trillion dollars in sales (http://www.aef.com). They
appeal directly to children and indirectly through children to parents. Everything
from toys, food, magazines, and video games to recreational sex
(http://wiki.answers.com) are pandered to non-suspecting youths. Many
advertisements invent value for the customer through subtle exaggerations or
entire fabrications. Consequently, these morale and social values are projected
into the culture shaping and fashioning young consciences. Often this
transpires daily; preoccupied parents are disengaged while the advertising industry
weaves the fabric of their children’s morals. The saddest truth in all of this
is the ‘reality’ marketed to young people is an empty lie and will prove to be
disillusioning and frustrating throughout their lives.
Figure 3 Source: Zastrow, C. |
Though the
intention of the American advertising industry is to sell products in a
completely saturated and competitive market, American youth are the unwitting
casualties. As the industry strategizes to secure lifelong patrons, youths are
daily blasted with advertisements influencing them to choose against their
nutritional health. The unintended consequence is escalating childhood obesity.
Alluring ads and commercials aimed at teens glamorize the use of alcohol and
launch young people into lifestyles plagued with social problems,
irresponsibility, and violence. The impact of advertising on the moral values
and cultural attitudes of young people is not to be down-played. A culture of
materialism, greed, selfishness, consumerism, and sex saturation has been
spawned and the forecast for the future is woeful if the trend continues unchallenged.
Parents must take charge of their young people’s interaction with much of the
advertising industry. One key to restoring perspective, wholesome values,
critical thinking, and equilibrium to the lives of young people is their parents
shielding them from the barrage of advertisements in many media outlets.
References
Advertising
to children (2005). Retrieved March 12, 2013 from the Advertising Educational
Foundation website:
http://www.aef.com/on_campus/classroom/speaker_pres/data/3005
Committee
on Communications (2006, December). Children, adolescence, and advertising. Pediatrics: Official Journal of the American
Academy of Pediatrics 118(6), 2563 -2569. doi:10.1542/peds.2006-2698
Covington,
W. (2012, November). [Magazine cover] Stone cold marketing to young African
Americans. The Sacramento Observer/ The SacOberserver.com. Retrieved March 15,
2013 from: http://sacobserver.com/2012/11/stone-cold-marketing-selling-alcohol-to-young-african-americans/
(Figure 1)
Dayanahmz
(2012, March). Morality and ethicality of using sexual advertising: “effects on
teens segment”. Retrieved March 14, 2013 from StudyMode website:
http://www.studymode.com/
essays/Morality-And-Ethicality-Of-Using-Sexual-945276.html
Dittmann,
M. (2004, June). Protecting children from advertising. Monitor on Psychology, 35(6).
(Print version: p. 58). Retrieved March 14, 2013 from the American
Psychological Association website: http://www.apa.org/monitor/jun04/protecting.aspx
Gottesdiener,
L. (2013, March). 7 highly disturbing trends in junk food advertising to
children. AlterNet. Retrieved March 15,
2013 from http://www.wakingtimes.com/2013/03/15/7
Impact
of food advertising on childhood obesity. Retrieved March 13, 2013 from the American
Association of Psychology website: http://www.apa.org/topics/kids-media/food.aspx?item=2
Musemeche
, C. (2012, July). Ban on advertising to children linked to lower obesity
rates. The New York Times. Retrieved
March 16, 2013 from: http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com /2012/07/13/ban-on-advertising-to-children-linked-to-lower-obesity-rates/
The
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (2010). Exposure of African-American
youth to alcohol advertising, 2008 and 2009. Retrieved March 13, 2013 from:
John’s Hopkins University website: http://www.camy.org/research/ Exposure_of_African_American_Youth_to_Alc_Advertising_08_09/
The
Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth (2010). Youth exposure to alcohol
advertising on television, 2001-2009. (Special report). Retrieved March 13,
2013 from The John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health website: http://www.camy.org/research/ Youth_Exposure_to_Alcohol_Ads_on_TV_Growing_Faster_Than_Adults/index.html
The
influence of advertising. (2012, April). Retrieved March 13, 2013 from: http://www.squidoo.com
What
is the impact of television advertisement on youth? Retrieved March 12, 2013 from: Answers.com: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_impact_of_television_
advertisement_on_youth
Zastrow,
C. (2009, July). Paris Hilton: Cosmogirl [magazine
cover] A long-pent-up rant against youth marketing. Retrieved March 16, 2013
from http://www.learningfirst.org/long-pent-rant-against-youth-marketing (Figure
2)
In the intensely competitive capitalistic society of America, advertising is a multi-billion dollar (http://www.apa.org) industry and an essential element of business and consumerism. Through various media outlets—television, magazines, the Internet, radio, movies, textbooks, and smartphones—youths are bombarded with slick and powerful appeals (http://www.wakingtimes.com). Children’s natural trust, gullibility, curiosity, absence of objectivity, and lack of critical thinking skills, renders them dangerously vulnerable to marketing manipulations and exploitations.
ReplyDeletehttps://maxevangel.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-is-impact-of-targeting-americas.html
#Youth #Exploitation #Food #Parents #Morality #Values #MaxEvangel #America
In the intensely competitive capitalistic society of America, advertising is a multi-billion dollar (http://www.apa.org) industry and an essential element of business and consumerism. Through various media outlets—television, magazines, the Internet, radio, movies, textbooks, and smartphones—youths are bombarded with slick and powerful appeals (http://www.wakingtimes.com). Children’s natural trust, gullibility, curiosity, absence of objectivity, and lack of critical thinking skills, renders them dangerously vulnerable to marketing manipulations and exploitations.
ReplyDeletehttps://maxevangel.blogspot.com/2014/06/what-is-impact-of-targeting-americas.html
#Youth #Exploitation #Food #Parents #Morality #Values #MaxEvangel #America