It is becoming increasingly evident that children are being targeted by the media from a very young age. They are being encouraged to become consumers before they can walk, spell, read or write. How? Through advertising and strategically placed marketing campaigns.
Australian author and Generation Next speaker, Maggie Hamilton points out in her book “What’s Happening to Our Girls?” that “Material goods cannot replace loving, human interaction. Parents who get caught up in the need to shower their baby with new possessions end up passing these values on to their children, who grow up believing they’re nothing without brand-name clothes and accessories”.
This point of view is confirmed by Martin Lindstrom, global marketing expert “kids spend less time with their parents than with advertising and brands, so the ads have a major influence on the kids’ vocabulary and use of brand names”. (BRANDChild: Remarkable Insights into the Minds of Today’s Global Kids and Their Relationships with Brands. Martin Lindstrom with P.B. Seybold 2003).
All over the world campaigns are being waged against the advertising giants to give children a childhood where they are free to be themselves and explore the environment around them instead of being at the mercy of consumerism and branding.
On April 8 the American based organisation Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood honoured Annie Leonard with the 2010 Fred Rogers Integrity Award for her internet film, The Story of Stuff (featured on U-Tube).
The Story of Stuff explores how our obsession with Stuff is destroying the planet earth, our communities, and our health. It is both entertaining and humorous in its delivery and talks directly to young people. Annie’s message is clear “Let’s have a little more appreciation and reverence for the stuff we have instead of this mindless consumerism”.
This award was previous given to Morgan Spurlock – writer/producer/director and star of the Academy Award nominated film Super Size Me.
Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood is an American organisation comprising of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups, parents, and individuals who care about children. They are devoted to limiting the impact of commercial culture on children.
Campaign for Commercial-Free Childhood advocate that a marketing-driven media culture places profit above the public good. The commercialisation of childhood is the link between many of the most serious problems facing children, and society, today.
Childhood obesity, eating disorders, youth violence, sexualisation, family stress, underage alcohol and tobacco use, rampant materialism, and the erosion of children’s creative play, are all exacerbated by advertising and marketing.
Writer Helen Splarn. Editor Dr Ramesh Manocha.
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