Never underestimate the power of screaming child. It's like nails on a chalkboard, only a gabillion times worse.
Most parents can barely stand their kids, especially if they're throwing a tantrum. Make them stop, make them stop!
That's why advertising to kids is so successful. It taps into the nag-factor. Why argue with a 5-year old, when you can just give them what they want and be done with it.
Fast food companies know this all too well, so they've stepped up advertising to children.
The report, from the Yale University Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity, found the fast food industry spent over $4.2 billion on marketing and advertising on television, Internet, social media sites, and mobile applications in 2009.
Researchers say despite pledges by fast food companies to improve their marketing practices, advertising to kids is on the up tick. Ha! Ask businesses to act responsibly? Oh that's rich!
Additionally, the experts claim preschoolers see 21% more fast food ads on television than they did in 2003. Older kids see 34% more. Figures show McDonald's has thirteen websites, attracting 365,000 unique child visitors under 12 every month, like Ronald.com.
In Europe, they've tightened restrictions on marketing to children, which is a good thing. Kids are way too naïve and impressionable. They don't know that McDonald's is unhealthy, loaded with salt and fat. It's not fair.
Then again, to be totally honest, I haven't seen too many TV commercials hawking fast food to kids anymore, more web ads than anything else. Maybe they're on kids' channels. I'm not a Sponge Bob fan so I wouldn't know.
Image credit: DBessolo
Big Business Teens and Kids advertising childhood obesity fast food 5 Comments Ninja Techniques on 14 Nov 2010Totally not surprised, though. Companies love marketing to kids because of all the $ involved, but I wish they would show some restraint.
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