Advertising to children, is it Ethical??
This is very sensitive subject to breach. We see it every day; from children asking for a certain toy that they want from a TV show or a breakfast cereal with cartoon characters on them. It’s funny you don’t hear more people talking about it on TV.
Advertising is a pervasive influence on children and adolescents. Young people view more than 40 000 ads per year on television alone and increasingly are being exposed to advertising on the Internet, in magazines, and in schools. This exposure may contribute significantly to childhood and adolescent obesity, poor nutrition, and alcohol use.
When you ask children what they wanted to do when they grew up. The answer used to be “nurse,” “astronaut” or some other occupation with intrinsic appeal. Today the answer is more likely to be “make money.”
Children and food advertising
In recent years, the food and beverage industry in the US has viewed children and adolescents as a major market force. As a result, children and adolescents are now the target of intense and specialized food marketing and advertising efforts. Food marketers are interested in youth as consumers because of their spending power, their purchasing influence, and as future adult consumers. Multiple techniques and channels are used to reach youth, beginning when they are toddlers, to foster brand-building and influence food product purchase behavior. These food marketing channels include television advertising, in-school marketing, product placements, kids clubs, the Internet, toys and products with brand logos, and youth-targeted promotions, such as cross-selling and tie-ins. Foods marketed to children are predominantly high in sugar and fat, and as such are inconsistent with national dietary recommendations.
McDonald’s
Should McDonald’s be allowed to put toys in their Happy Meals? Obesity in children has tripled in the last 30 years. The American Academic of Pediatrics considers advertising to children illegal since they do not have the cognitive capability to understand deceptive marketing.
You can go to this link https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/6XG86FQ and answer this question…
McDonald’s claim that the Happy Meal does have one healthy option: chicken nuggets, apple dippers, juice and low-fat milk. However, children do not always pick the healthy option. McDonald’s claim that their freedom to advertise is protected under the First Amendment.
o Including the toy in the Happy Meal is ethical
o Not sure
o The toy is deceptive marketing but McDonald’s should be allowed to include a toy
o The toy is deceptive marketing so McDonald’s should NOT be allowed to include it
o Other (please specify)________________________________________________
Distribution of types of food in TV advertising targeted to children or teens, 2005
Surprisingly I was shocked about this graph not that fact that the candy, cereal, fast food and sodas was so high which is sad, But the fact that the Fruit Juice percentage was so low. It seems like every time I turn on the TV there is a commercial on fruit juice.
Regulations
Advertisers have always had provisions and regulations placed on them limiting what they can and cannot do. From broadcast to print advertising, the FTC and other regulatory agencies have tried to insure that children are safe from the influencial messages that advertisers send out. Tobacco companies and alcohol companies have recently drawn the most fire from these agencies, for being accused of targeting children and teenagers in thier advertisements. These companies and others have found new ways to to target kids. They are using the next great advertising medium, the information superhighway, the internet. Companies such as Kellog’s cereal company and Hasbro try to get kids to become brand loyal by offering children games to play and contests that they can enter by creating an exciting interactive world where their product logos and trademark characters run the show.
http://www.kibagames.com/Games/Kelloggs/tag
IS IT ETHICAL??
When you examine the evidence you have to make your own conclusions. This issue is one that is very difficult for most people and there is no real solution. It is the way of advertising and advertisers to do many things to make money. Ethics may not enter into the picture in the way we think about it.
The bottom line is that parents have to watch what their children watch and help them be more discerning in what they do. This will make sure that their children understand the value in real things versus quick gratification.
I for one think in the mind of the advertisers that it is ok, on the other hand as a consumer I don’t. I’m kind of contradicting myself. But it’s a touchy subject.
krissy9090 
