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 a comment agreeing or disagreeing with the video's stance for 10 quiz points (due by class time next Tuesday). 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.)
Watch this video and post a comment agreeing or disagreeing with the video's stance for 10 quiz points (due by class time next Tuesday). 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.)
28 comments:
I agree completely with this video. Children are constantly being shown ads on the TV, radio, internet, and all around their towns. Most of the products being marketed to these children center around only the kid. This causes children to think way too much about themselves at such a young age. A boy I used to babysit was so spoiled and only thought about himself that even his mom could not deal with him anymore. Every time he would get mad or fuss she would take him to the store and buy him a new video game. These kids think they need all these products thanks to the way these companies are marketing to them. They are finding too much self worth in them and this will only get worse with age. Also, the fast-food companies are causing a generation to become obsessed with their food. Kids are getting worse health problems earlier on now. This marketing strategy needs to be stopped for the sake of the coming generations.
This video descriptively tells the truth of America. Whether one will agree or disagree with the video is not relevant, but the simple truths this video tells are completely relevant to today's society. The video talks about how kids very early in life are being embellished with advertisements and products of all kinds and in many different ways and that is causing a severe problem. One speaker even says, "childhood culture has changed dramatically" and i personally completely agree with the opening statement. I agree with the statement because i have personally noticed huge changes in things that i enjoyed growing up and what kids growing up in today's society enjoy. My three-year-old brother for example, he can see the same toy(s) being advertised on TV all day long and say he wants the same toy(s) every single time he sees the commercial/advertisement. I see a problem with this habit. The problem i see is that kids growing up in today's society constantly want more, which one speaker even said in the video. Although previous generations have not had the same problem to the same overwhelming degree, the problem has always existed. There is no doubt that it has happened before and has only grown from previous years. I say this because in the video they talk about the different types of advertisements, such as; games, books, songs, schools, ipods, cell phones, internet, hotels, car companies, airlines and more. All these things add up to one thing in my opinion, today's technology. And I think all this has grown accross the years from the same such things. If we had today's technology 100 years ago, i think the same problem of advertisements and kids ads would have been available long ago. Therefore, in my opinion, today's messy problem of "childhood culture being dramatically changed" is only due to our technology and the way it is used to reach younger generations.
-- Cody A. Medeiros
Leah Wingerter
The marketing and advertising experts really hit the jackpot with commercials appealing towards certain audiences, especially with children. They pick certain channels at certain times for certain audiences. When focusing on kids, it seems as though there is no limit to what the commercials say or what they are advertising, but in my opinion the companies are depending on the parents to supervise what their kids are shown. This in itself is a huge problem, because parents aren't available all of the time. Children or even young teenagers have been exposed to more through television than we were. What people my age were exposed to at the age of thirteen, now my eight year old niece is exposed to, for example a cell phone. In my opinion, our country needs to take responsibility for this huge problem of what our future generations are going to be exposed to through television.
From the time kids are old enough to understand what they are watching on t.v and what they hear on the radio, they are wanting something. These commercials are targeted towards kids specifically because kids are the target market. Many parents in our society will do whatever it takes to make their kid happy. In a way its an ingenious marketing idea for companies. But at the same time its brainwashing these kids into thinking that they always need the latest and greatest stuff on the market. And at the same time, a lot of the stuff makes the kids lazy and obese. America is hurting the next generation, and something needs to be done.
I believe the ethical issues of target marketing ultimately rest on individuals and not so much on society as a whole. I believe that the ethical issues of this subject fall more specifically to the responsibilities of parents, because if you look at our Nation's history you can easily see that since the emergence of the industrial revolution that our society has been heavily dependent on consumerism. Our society has been entrenched in consumerism even before television and radio. A person only needs to go online and search the archives of a company such as Sears and they will find catalog advertising information dating back to 1894 (http://www.searsarchives.com/catalogs/history.htm). There is no doubt that consumerism has always been an issue, but I do not believe it is fair to put the entire negative aspect of marketing on businesses as they are one of the top driving forces that keeps the American Economy flowing from goods and services and even jobs. This brings me back to my main view that the ethical issues of target marketing fall more to parents, because while it is easy for a child to see advertising for something such as a toy it is not usually the child who buys the toy for themselves. The child goes to their parents for something they want and ultimately the decision on whether or not a child gets something they saw from an ad rests with their parents. It is for this reason that I believe the real ethical issue is not about the target marketing, but instead the ethical issue is with the parents value system towards consumerism. If a parent gives into advertising and always spends their paycheck on products then a child will grow up with the same viewpoint, and the same can be said if a parent is frugal with their money and is not affected by advertising. Ultimately the mixed variables of target marketing as defined by Wikipedia which are product, place, promotion, and price are all elements that have been embedded in our society for generations. I do not believe these mixed variables being used by companies has changed or will change in the future. I believe that the true ethical issues that effect children when dealing with target marketing rest with parents and their value systems, and it is the parents and not marketing that will ultimately affect children.
I completely agree with the video that from the moment kids are capable of watching tv they are changed from and innocent child into an American consumer. Putting children into commercials affects other children because if one child sees another child playing with a certain toy then they will do anything to get that toy. All the new technology these days are corrupting children into thinking what will I beg my parents for next.
-Brandon Early
I agree that turning the media to children in sales is a very real and negative thing. It certainly teaches children that their focus should be on themselves and what material items they can get. I used to babysit two little girls who were eight and three years old. The eight year old received a cell phone, a very modern one at that, because she kept complaining that her mom could text her friends but she could not. So, she was given a phone. It was hardly used for good practical reasons. Instead, she stopped playing because she always was sneaking around calling or texting her parents complaining about mistreatment or being left out. Honestly, she just wanted her parents to be there, but before she got the phone she would be so busy playing and having fun that she forgot all about her parents not being there. Well, the three year old could not understand why her sister got a phone but she did not. So, she was next. I watched it affect their attitudes and personalities in a very negative way, but with all the commercials and advertisements encouraging kids to have cell phones they naturally wanted them. The one thing I did not agree with in the video was the disease section. I do not think that “making children lifelong consumers” or advertising to them is a cause of the diseases mentioned. I would agree that there is a strong correlation between the market focusing on children and young illnesses such as diabetes and ADHD; however, correlation does not mean causation. I do not think the marketing itself is causing such disorders. Overall, I do agree that children are being marketed to far too much and it is having negative effects on their lives.
Ashton Williams
I definitely agree with the message of this video. Today, children are bombarded with advertising more than ever before. America is based around consumerism. It is hard to go anywhere and not see a brand name or hear an advertisement. I think that the video is right when it stated that the values in America are different today than they were in, for example, the 1950’s. We are a society based around capitalism. Children learn early that having the right toy or type of clothes is the most important thing. When they are taught to buy at such a young age, children grow up carrying this same consumerist attitude. This is a cycle that is will not be broken as long as advertising companies continue to engrave their messages into young children.
-Hannah Baroni
Taylor Smith
As a child that grew up watching television almost every day, I can definitely agree with this film. We all see commercials for toys, cars, furniture, weight loss, etc. and the natural reaction is “That’s cool! Mommy can I have that?” I do think that society targets children’s interests because parents usually cave in and say “OK! Sure you can have that toy!” The saying “children are the future” I’m sure plays a big part in the marketing industry. Many marketing companies probably feel that if they can reach the attention of America’s children then they are reaching the attention of parents too. Children are the “target market” in today’s society. I can specifically remember a time when a commercial for the shoes with a wheel in the heel came on the television and I knew right then and there that I wanted those shoes no matter what. I begged and begged my mom for those shoes. At first she told me no, but it wasn’t until I threw a temper tantrum in the middle of shoe carnival that she finally caved in and bought them for me. It’s not unusual for parents in today’s society to want to make their children happy. In some cases spoiling children is inevitable. I was not a spoiled child, but every “cool” kid at school had those shoes and I just wanted to be “cool” like them. I feel that this is a perfect example of why children are the “target market.” I think it is really sad when adults have to target children in order to make a profit. It’s kind of scary when you think about it.
I agree with this video for the most part. It seems that the advertisement world only cares about making profit, no matter how their tactics affect society. Children do play a big role in how our country makes money, so it's understandable why they are such a targeted audience. I think it's fine for there to be advertisements directed towards children, but their should be strict rules and regulations. It's the responsibility of the adults in our country, including advertisement agencies, to help preserve our young people's innocence and teach them to be healthy and nonmaterialistic. Putting so much focus on turning children into consumers as soon as possible is not accomplishing anything positive.
I definitely agree with this video. The way that the media targets children and tries to captivate their attention is so blatant in American culture. I believe that this has been going on for a long time and it has slowly become more and more of an issue. What the media is really doing is manipulating children into believing that they are not happy and that they need "these things" to make them happy. They have done a very good job at analyzing their audience as the lady was saying on the clip. They follow the children around and analyze how they essentially how they think. This is not only creepy, it's wrong. They are controlling these children without the kids even knowing it. Children should have to option to think for themselves and realize that they really don't need "these things" to make them happy.
I do think that there is a balance. It is ok to advertise to children and target them as your audience but to go as far as our culture has, getting into their heads, has crossed the line. I think that some of it also has to do with the way the children were brought up. Some parents allow their children to buy into all of the advertisements. They get their kids what ever they want and the newest toys. These children are the ones who are being completely sucked into the media's trap. While other families see what the media is trying to do and they do the best they can to keep their kids from getting completely sucked in. Regardless, our advertisements have gone too far and have created many consumer children.
Erica Taft
I completely agree with this video. Advertisements today are targeted to every class of people especially children. Children are the new consumers. If these kids are bombarded with advertisements for specific brands they are most likely to follow such brands onto their adolescence and adulthood. Even though this may be good for the economy and the advertising companies, it is not good for the child. This attack can cause harm not only to their innocence but also to their health. These new consumers will become materialistic and sick. Parents should learn that in today’s society it is important to protect their children form this overload of media. They should teach their kids that although advertisements can be an informative convince it can also lead to a health disaster.
Targeting young kids sounds bad and dangerous but its what keeps our economy booming. If you have big company like McDonald's or Disney, the idea is very simple, you just need to attract young consumers and your business grows. Advertisements are forced to target young kids because our society is based on possession of unnecessary things. So, in order to keep the trend alive, big companies need to attract the future generation. Of course, this is bad for our society and our future generation but you can't stop because it’s good for our business. i agree with this video, only on the idea of raising our kids to become consuming kids is bad, but i disagree that this would actually be big a problem in the future.
Laura Lake
America today is consumed with “stuff”. There seems to be an overwhelming demand for the latest and great things. I completely agree with the stance this documentary took on the issue of consuming children with advertisements and the influential marketing techniques geared towards children. Media shapes our culture. Children are the main target because they are the future. It is easy to captivate their attention by advertising a product in a way that will make the child want to purchase what is being advertised. I agree with the fact that this is only going to hurt this up and coming generation. They have been fed with the idea that more stuff will make them happy and that it will solve any problems or issues they currently have, but at the end of the day it is just “stuff” and it will eventually break down and become outdated. These children will not ever be satisfied. Children develop habits at a young age that will carry on with them into adolescence and adulthood. It is crucial to grasp onto a problem at an early age before things spiral out of control. The consumers market for children is a smart business approach and is a great way to make money, but is it really worth depleting an entire generation? I do not think so. Children mimic what they see others do. Just because Hannah Montana says a bad word, that means I can too. Many kids think like that and their actions will reflect what they are around most of the time. If that is TV then children will exhibit an attitude of a character they watch on TV or if they often play video games they may act out like some of the characters on the games. Children are major consumers and bring in a great deal of money. It is unfortunate that the advertising is so obscure for children and it is sadly shaping our culture in a negative way.
I definitely agree with this video. Children play a big role on how America makes it money in today's society, and that is why advertisements focus to target the younger generations has increased over the years. The way the media incorporates advertisements in every area of a young person's life is almost overwhelming for a child because they are very influential at such a young age. Society has radically changed over the past generations, and children now want what they want when they want it. It is custom for children to see a new toy advertised on the TV and for them to ask their parents if they can have it right then. When their parents say no, the children throw a temper tantrum until they get what they want. That is not a good thing for them to learn because many values and morals that you believe in when you get older are shaped when you are growing up. Children are becoming more ADD when it comes to getting the new and latest thing society has, and it has affected areas in their lives. Movies, television shows, songs, and cell phones have shaped how children view the world and they can't seem to focus without having one or more of those things as a part of their everyday life. Advertisements have shaped how children grow up in today's society because they are being taught to buy what you want when you want, and not to worry about the consequences later on. It is causing many problems in society, because the children of today's society are who will be running our country in the future. If many children are attuned to wanting the latest and best thing society has to offer, what other kinds of decisions will they make about how to run their lives? Media has become a way for companies to advertise their product and try to get as many people to buy it as possible, especially children. It is sad that advertisement is shaping our culture to becoming dependent on what society has to offer, and that we think we have to have everything right when it is being offered. Disney plays a huge role in children’s life today, and they look up to the actors in the shows they are watching. The fact that teenagers are portraying that more is better is making children believe the same thing. What a child watches greatly influences their lives because they don’t know any better.
As much as I attempted to see the other side of this argument, all I could muster was the realization of the sad state of affairs and an unchanged opinion on my part. Having a much younger brother, 4 and a half years old, I've had some insight into this issue- I can definitely see where advertisements have become very forced on modern-day kids while I was watching TV with my little brother, although it seems a little less extreme than what this video portrays. I must agree, though, that targeting children this excessively is causing very explicit problems- Attention deficit disorder, raised expectations and perhaps even diabetes (although I think this is just as much a parental failure as a child's exploitation). I can't help but feel that doing this is completely unfair because, as the video mentioned, children are developing at these targeted ages and are extremely vulnerable to influences by advertisement, which is nothing but a cheap shot. Although I have yet to do any research about other countries' regulations on this matter, it seems like that would be the best way to mitigate the dangerous amounts of exposure to advertisements children are experiencing.
However, I can see how (but do not expect this to be the responsibility of) parents are definitely part of this equation. Kids of this age do not spontaneously expose themselves to these sources of advertisement; but rather the parents allow their children to watch, for the most part, these things. I know that that last statement was only really applicable in a perfect scenario (refer to my last comment in parenthesis) and to attempt to not allow your child to watch TV or be exposed to media is neigh impossible due to the annoying nature of children, at least some portion of responsibility in held with the parent's child-rearing capabilities.
Ultimately I feel that targeting children is unfair; it should be regulated because it is dangerous, but the fact is it will happen and parents should learn, for now, how to cope with the situation and not let the advertisements consume their children's ideals.
I absolutely agree with the stance of this trailer. Children, pre-teens, and teenagers are probably the biggest commercial targets. Like the trailer said, adolescence is a very selfish time and because kids aren't out on their own yet they have their parents money. So why should advertising target to parents buying things for their kids, when it's the kids persuading the parents to buy things for them? This means that the kids are the consumers. I do believe that targeting children is a smart way to go in today's society, because it is very effective for businesses and advertising companies. However, targeting kids at such a young age can be dangerous. Some advertising can convince children to behave and act in a certain way that they've seen on T.V. and a lot of times that "way" is very materialistic and superficial. Some advertisements could also expose children to things that aren't at their maturity level, which may give them the mindset of trying to grow up faster which is exactly what they don't need to do. Kids need to enjoy life, not worry so much about what society thinks, and take the time to be a kid.
I agree that advertising to children is an issue, but the real issue is that the modern family has allowed this to happen. Decades ago, parents had all the buying power. They bought their children's clothes, food, and everything else with little regard to what their children wanted. Adults had the power, so companies mainly advertised to them. When I was a kid, my mom rarely let my sisters and I go shopping with her; she bought what she felt was the best quality for the money she had to spend and never asked our opinions.
Presently, children have too much buying power. Parents let their children pick out their own lunches, shampoo, and even socks. Companies have caught on to this and would be foolish not to advertise to the ones with the buying power. Parents are allowing companies to "brainwash" their children by ingraining their brands into their children's memories. Children are naïve and too easily influenced. They do not always know what is best for them, and frankly have not earned the privilege of getting whatever they want. Although kids do need to learn to make good decisions on their own, the way to teach them is by example. Parents should make good decisions for their children until they are responsible enough to do this by themselves.
Courtnie Adams
I agree with this video. Children are the target of ads of all kinds starting with kids as young as toddlers. The influence children have is also huge. A kid can tell a parent what they want and the parents will make it happen. Kids want to have whats cool at that time, and if they dont have it they feel that they need it and will nag their parents about it especially when they are shopping in stores the children will throw a fit to have what they want. If a kid sees a commercial with something that is being made out to be cool they are going to want to have it because retailers are making kids materialistic and telling them what they need and whats cool. Children play a huge role in the consumer market and are a big target for advertisers.
-Chris Hussein
This documentary actually puts advertising in a whole knew perspective for me. I’ve never noticed how advertising differs from generation to generation. I completely agree with this documentary because the way the media portrays itself to children could be disruptive to a child’s “childhood.” I feel like the media “tells” children how to act and what to like, mostly by television and the internet. Our society shouldn’t stress kids out because at that age they are at the prime of developing their own personalities and what kind of person they are. Advertising can have a huge impact on children. For example, I came across an article that was explaining how Disney was planning on releasing a Ratatouille brand of wine to promote the 2007 animated feature. The wine was never released because an establishment outlawed the use of a cartoon character that would appeal to those under the drinking age. Altogether, the use of advertisement will always have an effect on our society.
- Allie Honey
As the video is alarming to see the amount of advertisement involved in targeting young children, I do believe it is only a necessary part in the world we live in today. There are millions are companies in the United States and the main part of those companies is to sell. That is how they make a profit and stay afloat. One main part of tuning a profit is advertising. If a company makes nerf footballs, then yes, they will show ads displaying young boys being excited about their new toy. This will then grab the attention of young boys wanting this product, asking their parents to buy it for them, and then making a profit for their company. Making a profit leads to more jobs opportunities within the company, and also improving the economy. I believe these are all just necessary things advertisers have to do in the modern world.
On the subject of instilling children to be materialistic and superficial is all up to the parents. If the parents set strict morals and guidelines to raise their children, they will not grow up believing it is okay to steal a car because they played it on a video game. When I see the clip of the girl saying she needs the most expensive things to be happy, it sounds completely shallow and ignorant. I believe that because my parents have taught me it is wrong to judge someone based on the price of their outfit. I believe society has taken a lot of the blame of the parents roles in their child, and put in on advertising.
I definitely feel like this video is full of truth as far as there being too much advertising focused towards children. There have been many times that I'm walking around Wal-Mart and see children picking items up or being in the basket and reaching for it because it is appealing to them. It's sad that companies have figured this out and they know it’s working but at the same time, the amount that we consume keeps them in business. When I think about my childhood I know there were advertisements that made me want stuff, but I also feel like I could appreciate a bike ride, unlike some children today who don't even know how to ride a bike. This sad truth is what will lead to obesity and children becoming less and less active. When you look back in the 1950’s and 1960’s it was clear that children were easier to please and less materialistic about things. I feel like it’s sad that children don’t have the kind of imaginations they used to and for a lot of kids today they need something going on at all times. We as a society need to take a good look at all of this advertising and see how it’s affecting children today and to come. It seems to mostly have a negative effect on our culture and the way children live today.
-Jessica Moore
Ever since kids are able to understand and watch television they are being targeted by big businesses and ad agencies. I believe that it is smart what the businesses are doing because they know that most parents will do anything for their child to be happy even if it means buying their child an over priced toy, piece of clothing, or unhealthy food. I do not think that what the businesses are doing is bad, I actually think that it is smart. Are there negative side effects to what the businesses are doing? Yes, there are, such as parents overspending and possibly going into debt or childhood obesity but the fact of the matter is that no one is forcing these people to buy the products. The consumers are choosing to buy them and that is what is making the businesses so successful and what I think is truly remarkable. It is a very smart way to market products.
-Rob Bentley
I totally agree with what this film said, children these days are way to influenced by the advertisements on television, products their parents buy them, and the internet. Like the film said kids are being taught to be little consumers, but why can't they just be kids? The film talks about how kids are having many physical and emotional problems today and even went as far as saying that kids these days are going to live shorter lives than their parents. I totally agree with this statement because kids are going to want to go out and eat that fast food meal that will cause obesity,they are going to want to play those violent video games that are not suitable at all for them, and they are going to want to text their friends on their cell phones which does nothing at all for their face to face relationship skills. Mostly everything that a person learns in life occurs in their childhood and if kids these days are so affected by advertisements, I think that our society as a whole is in major trouble for the future.
-Shelby Salmon
I agree completely with this video. Although many people may overlook this concern, it is in fact a prevalent issue in today’s society. Over the decades, it has only become more widespread and potentially dangerous to our society. I have seen firsthand with children that I babysit for and how influenced they are with these advertisements and marketing schemes. Most marketing companies, in my opinion, are extremely greedy, selfish, and corrupt. Their main goal is to target an audience that will in turn lead to more consumption, more product demands, and more sales; at any cost. These companies will do whatever it takes to generate more money, disregarding the expense at which the audience (in this case, children) will be affected. Advertisers are fully aware that children are extremely impressionable, and easily receptive to any kind of marketing scheme that targets them. Companies also know that children are at the formative stages, so any kind of slight coaxing will render product consumption and overall profit increase. Even if companies advertise a product that children wouldn’t normally want, they make it seem to be a necessity, a product that will make the child so happy and content. With the huge advances in technology over the past 10 years, children are naturally growing up with technology and assuming that these products are necessary. From iPods to cell phones to internet access, children’s minds are being filled with noise and materialism. They become obsessed with entertainment, and must constantly be amused and distracted to be content. I believe this has had a huge contribution to the rise in children with Austism, ADD, ADHD, and depression. We as a society and an industrialized country should find a way to regulate and limit the amount of target marketing to children, and know that it has and will continue to change our society in a negative if nothing is done. However, it is also key that parents monitor and strictly enforce the amount of television and internet access their child is given. This way, children will have less access to advertisements and won’t be as influenced with products and services that are not necessary.
-Lizzy McCrary
Advertisement and media is conforming the youth and making them believe that whatever they want is on their time and demand. Lowering the common values of the past, making children more self-centered and inconsiderate. The past youth generations had to work for what they wanted, but now that is completely changed. The children are more influenced to what they are exposed to which leads them to what they eventually act upon and demand. The childhood audience is more vulnerable which makes the older adults who put out the advertising strategies to blame for the dark side of youth they have created.
I do agree with the video about “target marketing,” but I feel the effects on children in the long run can be prevented. I believe half of the problem begins with the parents. The video talks about how children are influenced by the media as toddlers. With this being said, that is only because the parent allows their child to be exposed to that media. It is very difficult now days to monitor your child because they have so many ways to access the media through television, school, cell phones, video games, and the internet. My sister just recently had a baby and she was telling me how she was going to find tapes of older television shows that she use to watch to show to him. She feels strongly about this because television shows are not allowing kids to be kids anymore. At the end of the video it talks about how children are developing diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, and short life expectancies. Children use to not have access to the internet or television and would go play outside and be active. Now they just sit in front of the television or play video games all day and don’t have any physical activity which can develop obesity. Although I agree with the target marketing on children, I do feel there are strategies that can be used to prevent the young generation from being “brainwashed” from the media.
I absolutely agree with the statement this video is making. Of course, the children are targeted because they don't think about what this does to them mentally, emotionally, and physically. In my opinion, I think that more and more parents are becoming aware with this problem; not quite enough parents/guardians that are needed. I've been in several situations where I'm babysitting children and their parents don't want them watching a certain cartoon. Most of the time it is a very popular cartoon that any regular family would let their kids watch. Due to the morals and the lessons the show is teaching, it is not wanted in some households. I think that is great and we should have more parents like this. BUT as far as commercials and advertisements- I feel the same way. The video spoke of protecting the children; honestly, I'm not sure if that is possible at this point. Advertisements have gone to television, bill boards, cereal boxes, magazines, flyers, banners, etc. They are everywhere! I believe that it's very sad that this is creating a health care crisis later on in the child's lives. On another honest note, This is not only going on with the babies and children of this nation... We teens and even adults are being affected by advertisements as well. I know that my own father will go out and buy a brand new piece of technology every time a new version is released; and he is over 40 years of age! So, not only is this within the younger generation, it's spreading up into the older generation. Eventually, if it hasn't already occured, more than three fourths of the nation will have a materialistic characteristic.
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