As adults, most of us expect to be plagued with advertising on a daily basis, but some advertisers set out on one of your weakest points of attack—your children. While you expect toys to be marketed towards children, other industries, such as the food industry also specifically targets kids.
“Children can be easily swayed and are quick to want — or demand — products that they see in commercials, which is why advertisers spend more than $12 billion per year to reach the youth market. According to statistics from Nielsen, children see more than 16,000 commercials each year.”
While you can try to keep your kids away from television, movies, and the internet, you can’t control everything. They’re going to see things at their friend’s houses, their schools, and even in the store with you. So how can you continue to help your kids choose healthy food options when advertisements for unhealthy (and often addicting) choices follow them everywhere they go?
Well, at the end of the day it’s still up to you to instill a sense for health-conscious lifestyles in your children. They might beg and cry for candy or cookies at the store, but it’s still your job to say, “no.” You might want to give your kids everything they want out of life and that’s a great gesture, but just remember, what’s even better for them is to give them what they need.
To learn more about companies advertising toward your children refer to Kid consumers: How food and beverage companies handle marketing to children.