Since the invent of the television and the explosion of utilizing it for advertising purposes, it has been a hot topic of debate whether it is ethical to market to children or not. Some child advocacy groups advocate strict regulations while others are screaming for a ban of all marketing efforts targeting children. I agree that some things are probably not the best product choices for children, but in many cases, companies are going out of their way to promote their products and their brand around a positive message.
Recently, I was in a hot conversation with a colleague regarding this issue. It was his opinion that ultimately it is the parent’s responsibility to teach their children self-control and how to make proper choices. This may be true. But let’s look back to the days when this topic became a hot one. A family unit in the 30′s, 40′s, etc. usually consisted of dad bringing home the bacon and mom maintaining the home and children. If you look up daycares which were established in past eras, you will come up short. Children spent a majority of their time with their parents and especially their mother making it easier for the parents to monitor what their children were exposed to.
Today’s family unit often consists of a dad and a mom both working full time to bring home the bacon, which often leaves little Janie and Jonny in the care of others, limiting the time in which the parent can monitor their child.
Because of this trend in the new family unit, someone needs to take the initiative to set a good example. For this reason, I believe that marketing to children can be ethical if marketers realize their potential influence on children and market to them ethically and appropriately. Mom and dad may be okay with Janie and Jonny’s nagging if it is to get outside and play, engage in something with educational value, or pick out a nutritional snack.
