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The selling of childhood: Part 2
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In the first part of this two-part series, the question was raised: Have the reach of commercials and product placements gone too far?
According to the fact sheet, “ Marketing Without Borders,” compiled by the Campaign for a Commercial Free Childhood (CCFC), with reference to brand licensing: “Brand licensed toys garnered $22.3 billion in sales in 2006,” and, even more illuminating: “In 2008, five blockbuster movies premiered with a total of 2,000 toys and 6,000 other merchandise tie-ins.”
The compiled statistics, which includes citations, are stunning and covers just about everything, from Product Placement and Integration to Viral Marketing; Mobile Marketing; Commercializing On-line Communities; Behavioral Targeted Marketing; Cross Promotions; Co-Branding; Grass Roots Marketing, and Guerrilla Marketing – all targeted at children.
Susan Linn, Director of CCFC had this to say, “This generation of children is marketed to as never before. Kids are being marketed to through brand licensing, through product placement, marketing in schools, through stealth marketing, through viral marketing. There are DVD’s, there are video games, there’s the Internet, there are iPods, there are cell phones. There are so many more ways of reaching children, so that there’s a brand in front of a child’s face every moment of every day.”
CCFC is the only national non-profit organization of its kind whose mission (as their web site states) "is to reclaim childhood from corporate marketers."
The organization, headquartered at the Judge Baker Children’s Center in Boston, is a unique "national coalition of health care professionals, educators, advocacy groups, parents and individuals who are devoted to limiting the impact of commercial culture on children."
"CCFC’s staff and Steering Committee are activists, authors and leading experts on the impact of media and marketing on children."
In one of CCFC’s three recent campaigns, they have taken to task book publishing giant, Scholastic, Inc., asking them to “Stop enlisting teachers to sell toys, make-up, and brands to students through book clubs,” which has been an increasing problem in schools and has brought forth a great deal of commentary and support from educators.
In another campaign, CCFC is generating a petition, which is scheduled for delivery to President Barack Obama, at the White House, on Father’s Day, Sunday, June 21, 2009.
The petition, along with parent comments is asking the administration to “direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Federal Communications Commission to evaluate their current policies and regulations on marketing to children to determine whether or not they provide adequate protection,” because since the 1980’s “advertising aimed at children has exploded, when children’s television programming was deregulated and Congress restricted the FTC’s authority.”
The CCFC is also promoting awareness nationwide through the screening of a compelling new film, Consuming Kids: The Commercialization of Childhood, from the Media Education Foundation.
Consuming Kids takes a startling look “at how corporations relentlessly target children and the impact of that marketing.” The film follows the evolution of this deeply troubling paradigm,” and exposes the $700 billion in combined annual budgets that are targeted by corporations for the “commercialization of childhood.”
Noted author and educator, Dr. Mary Pipher, summed up this documentary best by saying, “This powerful, disturbing and heartbreaking film has the power to change the way we Americans treat our children. It is the best possible parent education product. I recommend it to schools, universities, churches, mosques and synagogues.”
CCFC members all over the country are hosting screenings of Consuming Kids in their communities. To see if Consuming Kids is being presented near you simply follow this link.
For a preview of the film, follow the embedded video below.
The answer to the question: Have the reach of commercials and product placements gone too far – is waiting to be answered by you.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you may want to read:
(Part 1) The selling of childhood: Have commercials and product placements gone too far?
How to use Common Sense Media: Making informed choices for your child’s entertainment
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