Audience analysis goes hand in hand with an advertising strategy called "target marketing." As public speakers, we analyze our audience to increase our credibility. . . but what are the ethical issues?
Watch this video and post your thoughts (by clicking "comments" right below the title of this post) on the ethical issues of target marketting for 10 quiz points (due by class time next week). Again, I expect well thought out analysis and good grammar/spelling.
(PS -- this is actually just a trailer, but you can watch the whole documentary here.)
Monday, September 13, 2010
The Dark Side of Audience Analysis
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45 comments:
Target Marketing is a very controversial ethical issue. The issue was so debatable it was brought up in congress, as the video showed. People wonder whether is is ethical to target market the youth in our society. The answer to that question is yes. Marketers are manipulating children to want and to consume, consequently causing more unnecesary spending from the parents of the children. I do not believe all marketing should stop towards children, I just think that marketers have went too far to get to the point where majority of a parenst spending is influenced by the childs views from something they have seen marketed.
I think that it is only ehtical to target market children to those who think so because not everyone agrees. Society today lets children get what they want when they want. For instance when a parent tells thier child no when they want something the kid throws a tantrum and they ultimately get what they want because the parent gives in. I think thats why companies are targeting kids. If the child likes it, the parents will most likely buy it. Now i understand that kids do deserve some of the things they want and should get them but making everything about them is wrong. Parents should not base every decision they make on what thier kids want. I think that if children are going to be targeted then it should only be about child toys or items along that line.
In this decade, children are exposed to all kinds of target marketing strategies through the television, internet, and friends. Some people think it is unethical to expose children to all different kinds of advertisement. I disagree because it is very smart to target the youth in society since they are easy to manipulate; however, I do think some advertisements can be on a little too overbearing for children. Society just needs to bring to their attention and really take into consideration that kids are the main target of selling products, so those people just need to make sure they do not cross the line between ethical and unethical issues on their advertisements, commercials, and shows.
I honestly dont see anything that wrong with businesses using the target marketing of children. I do see something wrong with the way the businesses are breaking down the way the kids do everything. Its a little creepy. However, the parents are giving consent. I think a lot of the problems people have with marketing wouldn't be a problem if parents did not cave in to all their children's wants. I know i don't know what its like to turn down your child, but I think you have to reasonable.
As a mother and a grandmother, I found it very difficult to watch this video. There was that part of me that began to rise up that says "enough"! Where it might be legal to use target marketing - - I do NOT believe that it is acceptable to use in this way with our children. We are adults and are capable of making choices using reasoning and experiences....children are not. I read one time how deeply children are influenced simply by Saturday morning cartoons - but this, in my opinion, goes far beyond that. It's just scary to think that any kind of media has this kind of control in what our kids like and think about who they should be. It makes it even more imperative that "we" are the ones who need to instill in our children those qualities that are morally right.
I see a real ethical problem with marketing children. At the age the markets are marketing these children they are very susceptible to believe anything they here and see. How a child grows and develops morals and values shouldn't be the responsibility of TV commercials and the like, but of the family and community. I strongly disagree when children are being used to market their parents and extending members of the family. Using children can put a real financial strain on a less-fortunate family. Many times parents aren't able to say no when a child wants something. These images and personage portrayed can create a false image of what life really is or isn't and cause real harm to future relations in their life.
U of A, Wednesday Evening
I feel that targeting a specific market of people is a great idea for businesses. Businesses need to target specific groups of people because it helps them make more money. I feel that if McDonald's or Burger King made a completely generic commercial, they would end up losing business because they both air different commercials that are aimed at different target markets. Most companies choose to market their products to children because they have the most impressionable minds. I think it's ok for companies to market products to children. It's the children's parents that are at fault if they decide to buy the products for their kids.
There are some really great things about target marketing. However, there are some very awful and ethical issues about it too. Sometimes businesses need this tool to increase sales, and it helps a lot. But, some businesses' use of target marketing has lead to an increase in obesity and diabetes. They are constantly targeting children, too, and making them feel unsatisfied with what they have so they want more. For example, my 4 year old nephew watches the disney channel and cartoon network daily. Some of the shows are very educational, but any time a commercial comes on he says, "I want that! Can you get me that? I need that!" Another thing about target marketing is the ads about alcoholic beverages. They always have good looking women on the ads or display it as a fun and exciting time. You never see them advertising the bad things about it, the reality or the effects from the alcohol. Businesses should still use target marketing, but they need to start limiting the target towards children and show the reality of their products.
I do have a problem with ethical marketing toward children. Children are very gullable and if they see all of commercials and think they have to have it then they will push the parents. I believe it is also the parents part to explain why they will not get the item they are asking for, for whatever reason. For example, the commercial about a car and the child is only 11. The parent responisbility it to explain why they are not getting the car. Whether it being that the child is to young and cant drive it. The parents dont have that kind of money. The marketing is crazy to stoop that low to children. Some may not even pay attention to it. Since they see it, the advertiser is hoping it will stick to the back of there minds and maybe it will come up later. Now I am not sure why the marketing is only on certain items. Is it just to see what the parents will buy? They are doing studies to see what parents will do so why not try right? Well, over all the marketing is wrong to target children. Children may want and think they have to have but the parents are the ones that make the final decision. The economy is not what it used to be like so they should take that into consideration as well. Marketing is a good thing for businesses, but they need to be careful to what they advertise. Some children get what they want when they want it and then they grow up to disrespect life and what they can to and not do. They become spoiled and think it is all right to have what ever they want, while the children that dont have that luxury, suffer but grow up to realize to respect what they have and feel good about what they have accomplished and see the true things about life.
All i can say i WOW!!! I am extremly shocked. I had never payed much attention to advertisment and how there using our kids to sale their products. I feel there shold be limits to target marketing, because at the end all it does is effect out kids and make them want more then you can sometimes give them.
I don't think we should fight target marketing toward children all together because it's going to happen. They have to sell products and they have to market to do so. I do think that the way and to the extent were going about it is wrong though. Health is very important to me. It's important to me that I stay healthy and I know someday when I have kids I will want them to be healthy so the fact that this is affecting our health is perhaps the worst part of this issue to me. I can remember being that age and being influenced by anything and everything. If there was a commercial for something then I wanted it. I sometimes forget about how I was at that age and this video helped remind me how important it is that we evaluate the advertising our youth is getting.
In my opinion I think target marketing toward children is unethical. The way things are marketed now days they make it look as if it is this amaing item that you just can't live without. When the child gets it they play with it a few times and are done. There are other issues with target marketing and food like cereals and candy and so on. I know when my children were small they wanted every kind of cereal that had either a toy in the box or a bear or tiget in the commercial. Then I would buy it for them and they wouldn't eat it cause they didn't like it. I don't think its right for parents to be taken advantage of when the market designers know exactly what they are doing. I do think their shoud be certain laws against some of it.
Marketing torward children is a tough subject to argure for or against. For me it all really depends on the product. Obviously, I don't think things like tobaco or rated R movies should be advertised to kids, and thankfully that is regulated by the government. However there are somethings like toys, video games, certain types of food, etc. that are intended for kids and should be marketed to them. If I have a product meant for kids, I'm not going to advertise it to adults, that's pretty obvious, and without such practice we probably wouldn't see as much products or have a portion of the economy that we do today.
I feel that marketing to children is wrong. I hate the fact that I cannot sit down to watch television with my children without hearing "mom, I have to have that!" I try to explain to them that just because people tell you that you should want it does not mean you will be happy with it after you receive it. I also try to explain the importance to my children that they should be their own person and not what society tells them they should be. So far we have made it almost 9 years and neither of my children are medicated for any reason, so I must be doing something right.
Wow, what an eye opener! I think it is very unethical to target market children in the ways depicted in the video. Kids already have a me, me attitude. This just feeds that fire. I do understand that companies have to make money, but surely there has to be better way. Can you imagine how life would be for this generation if they marketed healthy foods and educational products!
No matter how you look at it, targeting children will always be a very heated, very controversial issue. But the fact is, this is the world we live in. Our society is a consumer-based society where advertising sells. Personally, i see nothing wrong with it as long as the advertisments aren't promoting a child to hurt someone or something.
I feel that target marketing towards young children in today’s society has been getting increasingly worse and worse. Through advertising, companies have targeted young kids because they realize that kids these days feel a need to “fit in” more than ever. So when a child is watching TV and his or her role model come up and say something along the lines of “hey kids your only cool if you buy my product!”, the kid watching now has to have whatever is being sold. I feel that the way companies are trying to sell their product these days is wrong and should never be allowed to air on television.
I feel that a lot of the impact that commercial marketing toward children could be avoided with the help of the parents. They could be firmer and mot let them always get what they want. The marketing does have a large influence on what kids do want, I've seen it happen. Part 6 of that series talks about TV time in general and how much of a negative effect that has on society. I am also a firm believer in capitalism and think that adults should make wise choices for their kids instead of the goverenment haveing to make those diecisions for the kids.
Every one wants to make money in our world. If targeting kids is going to help that company make money then thats ok. As Kathryn said as long as the advertissments arent promoting kids to do something bad it shouldn't be that big of a deal. Parents are the ones who have control over their children and what they buy them.
Marketing towards children is completely justified to a certain degree, the product needs to sell and it needs to be advertised to the biggest consumer. The bad side to target marketing is that it makes products kids didn't desire before become all they want no matter if its age appropriate or not. If its on the tv and kids are shown enjoying it than that kid watching the advertisement wants to experience the same thing. For example cell phones, I didn't want one, nor got one till I was twelve. My younger brother got one when he turned nine, even though he wanted one at a much earlier age. This shows that the advertisements are also working on the secondary targets, parents, as well. The ethical issues with target marketing are about appropriateness, more so age appropriatenesss and how much younger are the kids going to be targeted until its gone too far?
I personally dont think the ethical line has been crossed with advertising to small children. As a parent, I think it my responsibility to limit the exposure to commercials. To have the FTC or now Congress to step in and say what can and cant be advertised to children is a breech in marketers 1st amendment rights of freedom of speech.
Crowder College Monday Afternoon
The targeting of children by the media is a very small part of a much larger problem. The problem is not advertising or the media in general. The problem is you and I.
The media runs off of feedback from society and advertising by feedback from consumers. Years of research has shown that targeting children causes parents to buy things. Why? Because years of advertising to the parents caused them to buy things.
This surge of consumer spending kicked off soon after WWII. It was called the 'American Dream'. My parents bought into it and their parents before them and so on. It took on a new life in the post-war 40's and 50's. We became a huge consumer society with a ton of surplus. Any body could get a job, own a house, save enough money to live comfortably and leave a substantial inheritance to their children. But wait, the next door neighbor has a newer car, a bigger house and more stuff. I need more stuff. Enter advertising. They point out these things and show you how you are inferior. Then they tell you how you to can be an equal member of society by purchasing their products.
Then we had the baby boomers and an increase in advertising. It was the "Don't get left behind" generation. Everyone needed to make the most money and have the best and biggest stuff. To quote Michael Douglas in Wall Street, "Greed is good." Advertising simply pointed out the things you did not have and that you were less of person because of it.
As society shifted it's attention to their children, so did advertising. Not to be offensive, but the Millennium Generation, now ranging from late teens to mid-twenties, is considered to be the most spoiled and pampered generation so far. Advertising simply shifted their target audience from adults to children, because their research showed that the parents would be manipulated into buying things for their children. We (society) feel that our children are a reflection of us. So if we were the "Greed is good" generation that was hung up on self image and material items, why wouldn't we spend a fortune on our children so they reflected well on us. That is exactly what we did. Now we sit back, appalled at the media for targeting children. It's not the media that should be ashamed, It's you and I.
Wow, I'm not so sure about what to say about the target marketing really. I mean the target marketing is how they make their money. If it wasn't for our kids watching the television shows and the commercial's on the television we wouldn't know what was out their. To be honest I try to stay away from the toy section at the stores because of the target marketing. My children goes nuts by the video section and the toy section because they want it or they think they need it. But, if they didn't have the commercial's for these things we probably wouldn't know it was even out their when we try to avoid or we do avoid that section at the store. So, theirs a good side of the target marketing and a bad side. But, at Christmas birthdays and income tax season that is how they make their money and companies make their money with these commercial's. Thats how they afford to live.
I think it's safe to say, we all have to agree that target marketing toward children exists and is increasing remarkably. I see and understand the ethical issues that this documentary brings light to, but I do not see any realistic solution. I hate that children are subjected to manipulation at such a small age. They start making decisions on what is best based on how well it's marketed towards them, without even realizing that is why they choose certain things. Children want certain products because of how well they are marketed rather than seeing what is actually best for them. An example of this would be McDonald's. Obviously after seeing fun commercials with "catchy" songs about McDonald's fried foods, a child would rather have that for lunch instead of a healthy meal fixed at home. I realize this is wrong and has a negative outcome on our youth, but my position on this issue is that there is nothing we can do about it. People can only try their best to control they way it effects their own household.
Olivia Sheppard
(wed. evening class)
I don't think target marketing is a bad thing. It is a very effective aspect of businesses and is the most logical and efficient way of advertising. However it can be over done and as with most things to much of a good thing is a bad thing. As in the case of advertising to children. They are constantly being bombarded with advertisements from every angle of their lives. Children are more susceptible to advertisements than adults are and it will affect them for the rest of their lives. Whether or not that is a good thing we will just have to wait and see.
The target marketing of children, great for business and horrible for children. When you target children at all angles of life the child just thinks about me me me. Which means the product sells and the parent that cant say no pocketbook hurts even worse than it did before they bought that must have 60'' LCD TV. Lately American's have been thinking about me me me and guess what? our country is going thru some tough times. Our parents and grandparents where marketed little to none, and think about how self oriented our society is now. Scary to think of what the future is going to be like with this even more marketed group.
Shea Sanford
I think it is very unethical. In todays world kids are all about me me me, I want, give me. Using them only make the parents life a little harder. If they would promote heathly foods, exercise, and self-respect. Think of what kind of world we would live in.
Kim Kirkpatrick
(Mon. evening class)
I don't believe that there is anything wrong with the target marketing of children. The advertisers for those companies have to market to children to keep sales up. It is up to parents to limit their children's exposure to commercials and advertising, so that it wont affect the way their children think and behave. The people that run these advertisements have to make a living, and I believe that they don't mean to effect children in a negative way.
I think that that the specific targeting of children in corporate marketing skeems is somewhat unethical. The people that develop these marketing plans take it a little to far when they try to surround the children with their advertisements. It makes it to where the child cannot make it through the day without seeing some form of advertisement or other form of marketing. This type of marketing can start to get stuck in the child's mind and shape the way they perceive the world or themselves. But, on the other hand it is essential for companies to appeal to children in some way. Children are a huge market and if a company wants to stay in business then they need to tap into this market in one way or another.
Ethan Holt
Wednesday Evening
As this video states, kids grow up thinking, "its about me, its about me now, and its about me and these things." I was raised outdoors, around other kids, and away from video games and childish shows. I have learned the importance of hardwork, respect for others, and the saving of money. Children who are raised seeing the advertisements for all of the new toys and games will want their parents to buy them. If this habit starts, it will continue on into the early teen years and on through life. Some shows on television today, express rich kids living a life of luxury, and this causes every child to want and desire expensive things without the knowledge of what it takes to acquire those things. I feel that target advertising the youth of this country will have a drastically negative effect on the spending habits of each generation to come if regulations are not put into place today.
As I watched the video, my faith in the development of future generations became weaker than it ever was before. As these companies develop their marketing strategies, they have to be aware of the impact that this is having on the health and welfare of our children. Yet they march forward due to the fact that their increased marketshare means increased profit. The true impact of this kind of advertising and the cravings that it develops in our children's formative years will only be fully realized far in the future. The only thing that can be done to lessen this impact on our children is to monitor the amount of time that they are exposed to the media, whether through television, magazines, or computers. It may not be the most popular or easy way to raise children, but having them play outside rather than watch hours of television has got to be considered more healthy. The conclusion to this video was more of a "tsk, tsk" than an eye-opener mostly because I have been aware of this issue for a while now.
As a mother, this video made me very angry! When the video talked about how children have been followed in stores, their home and even the bathroom for target advertising markets, I was outraged. Why would a parent let a their child be exposed to this type of thing? I feel that when we make the decision to have children, we are to protect them and until this video, I did not realize just how much we need to protect them from this type of advertising as well. The lady that said they are striving for "life long customers" and "super consumers" really struck a nerve with me. Our country and families are in more debt now than in the past and we have large corporations looking to generate more debt by working our children now! I do agree with the statement that children are "forming their values" and this is why we need to be very careful and be proactive in making sure they are not sucked in to this black hole. I also do not like the statement "girls are supposed to be pretty and sexy and boys are to be tough" because this is what our society has created and this is why we have so many young girls that have eating disorders and so many young people taking their own lives. All because the media is creating the "perfect person" or the "perfect lifestyle" and they feel less than perfect or not worthy because of that. I was shocked to hear that we are the only country that does not have a policy geared toward marketing to children, although it does not surprise me. As for my children, I have them watch more DVDs (because I have viewed them first and am aware what is going to play from beginning to end) and DVR shows because I can fast forward through the commercials. Since I mostly only let my children watch TV while I am in the room, I control what they view. This was something I just did and am now very thankful that I have started this practice because I want to limit the un-necessary marketing to my children.
I feel that target marketing really is not such a bad thing when it comes to harmless products such as cell phones, toys, or cars. Unfortunately, some corporations such as alcohol companies advertise to younger people and this is not a good thing, but other than that I feel target marketing does not hurt the consumer. There aren't too many ways for a company to advertise their product besides televison and the best way to advertise a product is to figure out the kind of people who will be buying said product. We are essentially taught to do the same thing in communications class. We as speakers want to find a topic that interests our audience and so we construct our speech based on what we think the audience wants to be informed on, just like how corporations decide on how to advertise their product. Although I feel target marketing isn't such a bad thing, the way companies go about analyzing their audience is. The fact that they will follow children around stores and record their conversations is indeed a bit creepy. If this was not necessary then I would have to say there is nothing wrong with target marketing.
Hey thanks for the trip down "Memory Lane" I remember most of those commercials, from the original days.
It is very creepy to see marketing 24/7 to the younger generation. It is also disturbing to see that the health report is not good as well. I know there is a serious attachment to the couch and TV. I also believe that it falls on the parent to monitor, and help filter what is seen and done by there children. I also feel that we as parents should limit the overwhelming exposure to advertising by encouraging kids to go outside and play, grab a pole and some worm's and fish, or heres my favorite, no tv just read a book. I feel that the whole marketing to the newest generations is partly to blame with my generation. How we survived childhood without video games, bicycle helmets, and cell phones, I'll never know. But we were the original target market.....Ed Macken Crowder Monday Evening
Target Margeting can be good and it can be bad, in my opinion. The good part would be if it is a good target where they are trying to get your child(ren)to do healthy things such as excerise and eat fruit instead of being a couch potato and eating snacks that are not healthy for them.
On the other hand target margeting can be bad for the parents as well becasue if your child(ren)sees something on TV that he/she wants more than likely they are not going to leave you alone until they get it. I think that is exactly what the marketers are wanting.
So again in my opinion only the only way to down size on the "Mommy, I want!" is to limit how much TV your child watches. If you can keep them from watching the tarketing commercials then they wont see what is bad for them.
I think target marketing to our kids is a double edged sword. We live in a society of instant gratification I want it and I want it now. Most kids if they don't get what they want will throw a temper tantrum and it doesn't really matter where you are it's not going to be pretty. I can see why companies do it kids today have a abundent supply of money and are all about keeping up with what this friend has or that friend has. I don't think some of the values that should be being instilled in children these days are because lets make the kids happy so everyone else can be happy isn't really how life should work. There isn't a day that goes by that one of my kids doesn't see a commercial on TV and say "I want that", or my oldest comes home and has to tell me about what her friend has that she "needs". So I can see how it is effective because it is working but I don't think that it is healthy for our kids or our society.
Marketing to children is just one new form of marketing that has huge potential. According to the video this form of marketing makes over a trillion dollars a year. The problem with this is that morally it just seems wrong to be trying to get young kids to talk their parents into buying them something just because they saw it on TV. The thing that makes this worse is how hotels, cars and airlines are marketing to kids. I know companies have to watch out their bottom line, but is marketing to children the only option they have? What makes this form of marketing even worse is that not much can be done to stop it. Congress can't just go out and say "no marketing to children" because that would have a lot of grey area that would make it very hard to say what was aimed for children and what just happened to have children in it. Overall it just seems like that hands are tied for this issue and not much can be done about it.
WILL SNEED-
Target marketing is an issue with kids. These advertisements are sending messages to kids to "want want want". Kids are becoming more self centered everyday, but marketing is only half of it. Target marketing is manipulating kids, yes...but parents are falling into the same trap. If parents would stand their ground and not fall into the same pressure these kids are, it would teach kids not to be "suckers". Consumerism is not only a problem with kids, its equally as dangerous to adults. It is up to the parents to set the tone early.
As I watched this video, I never realized there was such a science behind target marketing. I watch tv all the time, and am surprised I never picked up on the subtle selling points businesses use to target specific demographics. It makes complete sense to me now because when I was younger, I would watch commercials where kids were playing with cool new toys, and immediately I was envious and wanted to have that toy. This clearly is the hopeful outcome companies have in mind when making their advertisements. I cannot say that I have an issue with target marketing at all, I think it is a clever business strategy.
Julie Boggs
T/Th Class
After watching this video and seeing the outcome I first think of how great marketing has become throughout the years and what will marketing look like in 20 years from now.Although these children are being manipulated, businesses have to make money some how and it just so happens that children are the best way. I find this video interesting because i never realized the measures that marketers go to in order to sale a product. I dont agree with the way their marketing the products, if were teaching children to get worth and joy out of what you buy or look like then what will be message be in a decade? After watching this I'v realized how clever marketing can be. On an ethical stance, I think the way the products are marketed are sending the wrong message, but business is always business and as long as the products are being sold things wont change.
After watching this video, I realize the manipulative stance behind marketing, especially towards the younger generation. On the ethical side of it, I don't think it is wrong but I do think businesses come off sounding fake and over-exaggerated. But if that's what it takes to sell their products, they will continue to sell this way. Being a business major, I agree with the way they sell their products and market to their audiences. It gets the job done and the businesses are still successful, and I believe that's the most important issue, especially in today's economy.
I do not think that it is ethical to market towards children. although this is often very effective, it is just not right. Children are just concerned with bright and exciting things and not practical so as long as you make it interesting then the kids are alright asphyxiated. However, i do think that it is acceptable to market towards people that are over about 12 years old because they are starting to realize what they want and need.
Matt Seaton
I'm not really sure how i feel about marketing towards children, i mean yes it is almost like an untapped resource for marketing since their minds are so moldable and easily influnced. At the same time though that can be quite dangerous for the same reason it is considered a good market. but blame cant be fully placed on the marketing since the parents provide consent so in turn they allow this to take place. I think there should be an age cap for marketing or limit what kind of things they are allowed to market to children.
As we can see in the video, more and more children are exposed to target marketing of major companies. Also, the age of children who are exposed to commercials are getting lower. I believe the development of technology(invention of televison or radio) lead kids to be exposed not even though they want to. When the kids get older, they want to be "cool" among their friends so they tend to get cool stuff showing up in the commercials. As seen in the video, it could be cell phone or violent video games for boys, and barbie dolls or cosmetics for girls. I am not saying that target marketing of the companies are bad since it's the nature of PR, but it makes me think that these companies are manipulating consumers' mind(children) because they are so easily and naively acceptable of those commercials. They just believe what they see. However, I personally think that changing the nature principal of target marketing is impossible, so it is the parents' responsibility to control and teach a proper mind of consuming to their children.
Target marketing of children is a well calculated move by corporations. They know children will get into any adults soft spot and get what they want.It works well for parents but in the long run it may cause ireversable results. Think of that cell phone you bought for your child so that you can track her where abouts; she will be bullied by peers via cell phone without your knowledge.
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