Use Caution When Marketing to Youth

Over the years, society has seen a gradual increase in the annual spending power of youth consumers. With influence over billions of dollars in spending each year, companies are now seeking to catch the eye of these young buyers. In 2004, the total estimated U.S. marketing expenditures to target products to children was at approximately $15 billion.

Even though television has been the traditional advertising medium utilized to reach children and youth, marketers are now redirecting their advertising efforts through online mediums. A study conducted by the Kaiser’s Program for the Study of Entertainment Media and Health revealed the following information:

• “73% of the Web sites used advergames, which are online games in which a company’s product or brand characters are featured.
• 53% of the sites have television commercials available for viewing. On Skittles.com, for example, users are told they can watch the ads ‘over and over right now’ instead of having to wait for them to appear on TV.
• 64% of sites use viral marketing in which children are encouraged to send emails to their friends about a product, or invite them to visit the company’s Web site.
• 73% of sites incorporate some mechanism to personalize or customize the user’s experience. For example, at wonka.com, if a user becomes a member, he or she can get a personally flavored Web page” (Pitts, 2006).
  

The issue of the efficiency and ethics of advertising to children has been an ongoing debate since the early days of television. Proponents of youth-targeted marketing argue that because of their financial power, children involve a separate target market from adults. Moreover, exposure to persuasive messages allows children to develop critical evaluation skills and teach them to become more savvy consumers. On the other hand, consumer protection groups claim that youth advertising is unethical, because it is deceptive and manipulative. It also stimulates wants, promotes consumerism, poor nutritional habits, and encourages children to nag their parents for products, creating dissention and stress in the home. This ongoing topic of debate has forced the marketing community, as a whole, to reevaluate their approach to youth marketing.

As IMC practitioners, we must be prepared and aware of the various guidelines and restrictions that exist to govern advertising targeted to children. Governmental agencies, such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), usually assist in self-regulation. However, there are organizations such as the Children’s Advertising Review Unit (CARU) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), whom work with businesses to ensure that youth-targeted advertising is accurate and sensitive to the intended audience. It is our responsibility as marketers to ensure that we executive ethical marketing practice—no matter how young the audience.

Sources:
Calvert, S. (2008). Children as Consumers: Advertising and Marketing. The Future of Children, 18, 205-234. Retrieved on July 6, 2008 from http://www.futureofchildren.org/usr_doc/18_09_Calvert.pdf.

Neeley, S. and Schumann, D. (2004). Using animated spokes-characters in advertising to young children. Journal of Advertising, 33, 7-23.

Pitts, M. (2006). Food Companies Target Online Kids. Retrieved on July 6, 2008 from http://www.connectforkids.org/node/4497.