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Ricardo Garcia's List: ENG 102 Project: How does television influence children's consumerism patterns?

  • Introduction

    The aim of my research is to understand how television influences children's consumerism patterns. All types of advertising (commercials on television, radio, the Internet, road advertisements) promise us that our life quality will be improved if we buy this or that, or if we go to this or that place. Nevermind how expensive it is, we deserve it. And this trend has also reached children. There is no doubt that the closest media to children is television. Today, advertising campaigns on television towards children plus the influence of cartoons and children's celebrities play an essential role on the way children want to buy or want to have. I have consulted different sources and then I have chosen four different interconnected approaches to the subject: food advertising, toy advertising, how children socialize through becoming consumers and how children influence their family spending. I think these four perspectives interconnect and outline the different ways television influences children, and thus, it will be easier to understand why children are powerful new consumers and why many problems of our society (child obesity, attention disorders, infant depression, etc.) happen.


    While I was looking for resources, I wanted to use all kind of formats. I ran a search on Youtube and other video browsers to find documentaries on the issue, and I also consulted the MCC library to find articles which could provide me with objective information on the topic, so I mainly looked for studies instead of essays. Some of the terms I used for my research were: advertising, children, television, consumerism, parents, influence, behaviour, products.

  • Aug 04, 11

    American Academy of Pediatrics (2006). Children, adolescents, and advertising. Pediatrics 118 (6), 2563. Retrieved on July 20, 2011 from http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/118/6/2563.full

    This article focuses on the health consequences of television advertising targeted to children. It analyzes different health problems, such as obesity, attention disorders, etc. in relation with television watching.
    There are no explicit authors, but it is an official institution, so that is a good credential.
    This article is very useful for my research because it explains how television commercials influence consumerism patterns and the consequences of it.

  • Jul 23, 11

    Beder, S. (2011). Business-managed democracy. Retrieved July 23, 2011 from http://herinst.org/BusinessManagedDemocracy/culture/consumerism/games.html

    This site offers great information on many contents related to consumerism. I found this resource while I was looking for documents on how cartoons and children celebrities improve sales.

    In the section dedicated to children, we find different subsections related to products and media. The impact of televison, the Internet, mobile phones, movies and tv and cartoons on they way children consume, plus the analysis of products which are not targeted at children, but include cartoons or other lures which children find attractive, like alcohol or tobacco advertising. It also talks about how consuming can be a factor on building social relations and has offered me new points of view I didn't think about before, as children's clubs.

    I think it is a very useful resource as it unveils how market strategies work when selling toys and other children products which are not food. She takes multiple examples from reality, and I think this is very useful to illustrate my topic.

    Sharon Beder is a professor in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Wollongong in New South Wales, Australia. Her research has focussed on how power relationships are maintained and challenged, particularly by corporations and professions. She has written 10 books, and many articles, book chapters and conference papers, as well as designing teaching resources and educational websites.

  • Jul 22, 11

    Condry, J., Bence, P. & Scheibe. C. (1988) Nonprogram content of children's television. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 32 (3), 255-270. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu

    I found this document while I was looking for information on the evolution of children consumerism in past decades.
    The authors conducted three analyses of children oriented television to draw the following results: in three years time, the number of messages per hour has greatly increased, specially the number of product commercials; moreover, an increase in the percetage of toy commercials has taken place, and so has a decrease in the percentage of cereals advertising.
    I find this document very helpful because the authors have done a thoroughful analysis of all types of advertising targeted to children, from toys to food products. They have also set categories for the type of advertising, from regular commercials to promos and other marketing strategies to attract children's attention and sell their products. They mainly provide a descriptive report on what children watch on tv and the exposure of young children to commercials.

    John Condry is a Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Cornell University.
    Patricia Bence is an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Tompkins-Cortland Community College and a doctoral student of Cornell University
    Cynthia Scheibe is an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Ithaca College.
    Their paper has helped me to better understand nonprogram content and also shows good evicence which I find useful for my work.

  • Jul 20, 11

    Earp, J. & Barbaro A.(2009, October 26) Consuming kids: the comercialisation of children 1/7 [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4u8HL3Bjygw

    I found this video while I was looking for different kinds of information sources.
    This is the first part of a seven-part documentary on how television prepares children to grow up as potential consumers.

    The authors analyze the increase on advertisements which appear on television towards children audiences to boost their consuming habits and how television and companies profit from this without thinking on the consequences. From toys or food to cars and products which their parents need, children decide what is bought "in the house".
    The authors show how the regulations on children and televison have evolved during the years and how children have become another victim of market stratgies after becoming the target of market research processes, and therefore, a new consumers segment which can be exploited by corporations to profit.

    Specialists from many related fields give their opinion on the subject and introduce interesting points of view about marketing, child psychology and eating habits, among others. There are also points of view on how children are becoming consumers almost from the beginning of their lives and how they develop themselves turning into "consuming machines".
    This video offers a great perspective on regulations related to children advertising and how companies take advantage of inappropriate regulations to develop their market strategies.

    In this video, many specialist related to the field as infant psycholigists, market researchers and lawyers express their opinion on the issue, so it is very interesting to see the relation between different fields addressing this topic.

  • Jul 23, 11

    Farmerjoe (2008, September 13). Marion Nestle: What to Eat [Video file]. Video posted to http://fora.tv/2008/08/14/Marion_Nestle_What_to_Eat#fullprogram

    Dr. Marion Nestle examines the controversial food industry practice of creating advertising directed at children.
    She talks about how companies approach to children through television advertising selling unhealthy products to them through fun and game. She critizises both companies and goverment: companies for investing millions of dollars on selling children harmful food products and goverment for not improving regulations to protect children against advertising campaings.
    Dr. Nestle, who is a teacher at NYU, discusses the U.S. food system including supermarket strategies. She informs and advises the audience at the Chautauqua Institution's 2008 program about what and how to eat.

  • Jul 30, 11

    Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (December 3, 2009) FDIC Law, Regulations, Related Acts. Retrieved July 30, 2011, from http://www.fdic.gov/regulations/laws/rules/8000-3050.html

    This page includes theTrade Commission Improvements Act of 1980, which decreased the power of the FTC to protect children against children targeted advertising.

  • Jul 23, 11

    Hunter, B. T. (2002, March). Marketing foods to kids: using fun to sell. Consumers' Research Magazine, 85 (3), 16. Retrieved July 23, 2011 from https://web-ebscohost-com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/ehost/detail?vid=7&hid=18&sid=416ec4f7-08d4-4a00-9cec-def20b26b5ab%40sessionmgr12&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=aph&AN=6447235

    In this text, the main aspects of food marketing strategies targeted to children are discussed. The author describes what mechanisms companies apply to attract children's attention to concrete products. She also talks about how children have evolved from having no purchasing options to being a real influence on what kind of food products their parents buy and the purchasing power they have accumulated over the years. She also provides a list of food products very popular among children and the concrete characteristics and features which made them so popular.

  • Jul 22, 11

    Jacobson, L. et al (2008). Children and consumer culture in American society: A historical handbook and guide. In M. Forman Brunell (Ed.), Children and youth, history and culture. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu/ehost/ebookviewer/ebook/nlebk_218188_AN?sid=bc828ad7-cfc7-4492-8007-58d7f9de7288@sessionmgr113&vid=18&lpid=lp_197

    I found this ebook while I was looking for information on the evolution of children consumerism.
    The author analyses the role of children in current economy. Children have become active consumers and spend or have an influence on their familiar spending of billions of dollars. But Jacobson shows a new point of view: while we understand this phenomena as something novel, she makes us realize that this trend dates back more than a century. Through the different groups which have taken part in this phenomena, the author explains how different social groups have made children socialize as consumers. The book also includes documents and essays which unveil the historical situation and cultural conflicts which have led to the birth of children consumerism. Today children and teenagers play roles as active consumers and these roles have changed family life and culture capitalism. The author specially highlights the fact of identity building through good and purchasing power and how these influence social relationships.
    This book offers a great perspective on the role of children as consumers at both macro (society) and micro (family) levels.

    Lisa Jacobson is an associate professor at the department of history of UCSB. She owns a Ph.D. and has interests that span a variety of subfields, including the histories of consumption, family and childhood, business, gender, and food and alcohol. One unifying thread in all my research is the broad question of how new markets are created, challenged, and legitimized.

  • Jul 22, 11

    Kelly, K. & Kulman, L. (2004, September 13) Kid power. U.S. News & World Report, 137 (8), 46-52. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu

    I found this paper at the MCC library database while I was looking for information on how consumerism influences the way parents and children interact.
    The authors analyze the influence which advertising and marketing strategies have both on children and their parents in the USA. They stress how companies use of cartoon characters and other children related motives as marketing lures to attract children's attention to their products so they become top sellers. The study includes polls which show parental awareness regarding how children exposure to advertisements increases the sales of products. The authors also show the new role of children in all consumer spending and suggest that higher involvement by children regarding consumption has an influence on depression and other related problems. They also explain the reasons which move parents to buy their children everything they wish and how important is to raise children in order to understand rules and become individual adults.
    This document is very useful as it contains information on the major problems derived from television watching and how parents can address them.

    The authors of the text are Katy Kelly and Linda Kulman. Katy Kelly is a journalist who has worked for People, USA Today, and U.S. News & World Report, where she is now a Senior Editor. Linda Kulman is a journalist too. She was also the founding editor of NPR's Weekly online feature and Podcast "Book Tour" and is a contributor to U.S. News & World Report. In addition she has written for National Geographic, the Washington Post, and other publications.

  • Jul 30, 11

    Reagan, D. (January 20, 1981) Inaugural address held on the terrace of the West Front of the Capitol, Washington. Retrieved from http://www.reaganfoundation.org/pdf/Inaugural_Address_012081.pdf

    This is the transcription of the 1981 Inaugural Address, where President Reagan talked about market deregulation to improve the country's economy.

  • Jul 30, 11

    Roberts, D. (2011). The best selling toys of the last 50 years. www.dad.info. Retrieved from http://www.dad.info/entertainment/books-toys-and-games/the-best-selling-toys-of-the-last-50-years

    This page includes a list of the best selling toys of the past five decades with additional comments on it. It is useful because I need this kind of data to support my claim.

    The author is Dan Roberts, who is a feature-writer and columnist with over ten years' experience of working for The Guardian, The Observer, The Independent, Daily Express and Mail on Sunday, as well as numerous national magazines. His areas of expertise include health, wellbeing, relationships, psychology and parenting.

  • Jul 22, 11

    Stipp, H. (1993, August) New ways to reach children. American Demographics, 15 (8), 50. Retrieved July 22, 2011, from http://ehis.ebscohost.com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu

    I found this paper while I was looking for information on how children influence purchasing decissions taken by their parents.
    The author discusses why rethinking children targeted marketing strategies is important. He criticizes the way in which companies approach children audiences to sell their products and how this will change the way children develop, turning into consumers. He also explains why children's spending has risen and how children have an influence on the products their own parents buy.
    I think it is a very useful document for my research because it's on how children have became another segment of the marketplace.

    Horst Stipp received his Ph.D. in Sociology from Columbia University and has been involved in media research at NBC for over 40 years. His research publications, in both English and German, cover a wide range of topics and he frequently presents at conferences, both in the US and in Europe. Stipp has also taught media metrics seminars at Columbia University's Business School for over ten years.

  • Jul 30, 11

    U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Reports, Estimates of the population of the United States by single years of age, color, and sex (Data for 2010 are from the 2010 decennial census). Retrieved from http://www.childstats.gov/americaschildren/tables/pop1.asp?popup=true

    These are the official statistics on USA population

  • Jul 22, 11

    Warren, R., Wicks, R.H., Wicks, J.L.,Fosu, I. & Chung, D. (2008, June).Food and beverage advertising on U.S. television: A comparison of child-targeted versus general audience commercials. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 52 (2), 231-246. Retrieved July 22, 2011 from https://web-ebscohost-com.ezp.mc.maricopa.edu

    I found this document while I was looking for information on how advertising influences children's purchasing decissions.
    The authors rise the debate of to what extent food advertising influences children's eating habits.
    In the last four decades the consumption of unhealthy foods among children has increased in a rampant way. This fact sparkled the issue about the role which advertising plays in children obesity, as this link is based on correlational data. Evidence show that the average child spends over 5 hours a day interacting with media, which led to the conclussion that media are directly linked to obesity. Moreover, media are the most important source of advertisements, specially, television. The authors also state that since the appearance of cable television has increased the obesity rate among children, as it is mostly supported by advertisers and that companies usually spend from 60 to 70 percent of their budget on advertising.
    This paper is very useful as it says a lot about companies and their market strategies, and also compares the differences as consumers of children and adults.

  • Conclusion


    I am very pleased with the sources I have found. While researching, I found out that the most significant problem of tv advertising targeted to children is related to eating habits. I have also found out that almost all major food companies spend 60-70% of their budget on advertising. Market strategies conducted by these companies take advantage of children's naivety to make them buy their products. Luckily, this trend decreases as children grow up. Also the lack of communication and will to educate on the parents' side is an important problem which must be faced to stop children's consumerism.

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