Call it pester power or the nag factor, it’s the language of “gimme” that many American children have adopted and perfected. There have always been the demands, the foot stomping, and crying for the latest toy, or sugary treat. But now, many parents are complaining their children’s consumer appetites are getting worse, all thanks to the sophisticated marketing efforts of Madison Avenue.
Some of these parents are now asking lawmakers to help curb the $15 billion in ads and marketing directed at their kids. But others say that children under 8 years old are too young to understand what advertising is, let alone grasp, the complex messages hyping the latest rocket gun or Lingerie Barbie. And besides, they say, parents hold the power to just say no.
Guests:
Dr. Susan Linn, child psychiatrist and author of “Consuming Kids, The Hostile Takeover of Childhood.”;
Elizabeth Lascoutx, Director of the Childrens Advertising Review Unit
Paul Kernit. President of KidShop, a kids marketing firm