Still not convinced that corporate marketing is detrimental to our kids?
The Multinational Monitor has a must-read interview with Susan Linn, director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, covering television advertising, commericalism in schools, food marketing, childhood sexualization, Disney, Bratz, McDonald’s, Baby Einstein, Scholastic, Abercrombie, and Hannah Montana.
MM: What do you say to the claim that, if parents are concerned about advertising, they can just turn off their kids’ TVs, or keep TVs out of their bedrooms?
Linn: I think it’s either naïve or disingenuous to believe that one family in isolation can combat a $17 billion industry working day and night to undermine parental authority, and to bypass parents and target children directly with messages that usually aren’t good for them.
Parents do have a responsibility to work to protect their children from the onslaught of advertising and marketing, but they can’t do it alone.
This is a terrific primer on the state of corporate marketing directed at children and its ramifications.
Also be sure to check out the redesigned CCFC website. I especially like the new issues pages with facts and resources for each specific topic, including media violence, school commercialism, and materialism and family stress, among others.
August 27th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
That’s a great quote about parents. I see a bunch of people who are trying to live in isolation around here with homeschooling. Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s that effective. They still see tons of advertising and media and those people would be a huge asset to those of us who are still in public schools and who still hang out with other people in public.