Adrienne Watson- Kid Kustomers: Summary and Response

Adrienne Watson

Kid Kustomers: Summary and Response

      Investigative journalist, Eric Schlosser, in his article “Kid Kustomers”, published in 2011, addresses the topic of child marketing and argues that the media has more influence over children than their parents. By supplying the reader with information about early marketing practices and the increase in child marketing groups, Schlosser builds his claims about companies increasing sales by directing their marketing towards children. Schlosser wishes to convey to readers the importance of awareness in order to limit children’s exposure to marketing ploys. Because of the author’s authoritative tone, it seems he writes for both professional and general audiences.

    Schlosser notes that most American children spend twenty one hours a week watching television. This exposes them to more than thirty thousand commercials. Schlosser describes the different marketing strategies used on children. The companies’ aim is to increase, not just present sales, but also future sales. They hope early exposure will encourage “brand loyalty” and lead to a lifetime of purchases. Schlosser also describes the different ways company marketing teams analyze children, staging slumber parties, forming children’s groups and analyzing children’s artwork to name a few.  The language Schlosser uses gives the impression that marketers are spying on children. He mentions James McNeal’s belief of a nagging tactics. The use of these techniques makes the children persuade and beg their parents to buy things that they desire.

     I find Schlosser’s argument agreeable. Children do not know that the commercials and ads are false statements. They often cannot distinguish between a commercial and an actual TV program. In a grocery store, if you go down the cereal aisle the cereals most desired by children are on the bottom. The cereals are put at a certain height to catch a child’s attention. Schlosser is trying to inform parents how often their children are exposed to advertisers. He talks about how Joe Camel, the mascot of a cigarette company, is easily recognized by nearly all six year old children. Ethically it sounds wrong, but from a business standpoint it is brilliant. People need to sell their products and targeting children, who you know will be enticed by the product and ask their parents to it get for them, is so obvious and simple. Of course this also means cigarettes and alcohol companies can target children as well. I believe those commercials should be directed at children because the younger people start smoking and drinking, the more likely they will become addicted. But it makes sense why industries target children for their commercials and advertisements.