...many companies have been targeting children as their main customers and consumers. Eric Schlosser described them as “kid kustomers”, meaning companies are targeting children in their advertisements and getting them to want their products instead of the parents. On the business side of this, it makes sense. If children want the product due to advertising in a commercial they will be more likely to purchase that product when they become older. Schlosser, the Journal of Adolescent Health Care, and Health Economics give examples of the effects that are caused from child advertising. Personally, I believe it is smart for the companies and business to target children in their ads but it should be for the companies and businesses that are for children. Many companies have been targeting children in their commercials with their cartoons and mascots for a while. Personally when I was younger I thought that the Camels cigarette cartoon camel with the sunglasses smoking a cigarette was cool, and I wanted to look cool. This technique has been used for many different companies after they realized that it worked. One example Schlosser gave was how children are susceptible to liking animals or toys and they can be drawn to that product; The fast food industry has forged promotional links with the nation’s leading toy manufacturers… The major toy crazes of recent years, including Pokémon cards, Cabbage Patch Kids, and Tamogotchis, have been abetted by fast food promotions. A successful promotion...
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