NEW YORK, May 15, 2007
Marketers Pitching Harder To Kids 7, Under
Adweek Ad Critic Barbara Lippert Spotlights Why And How
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Play CBS Video Video The Easy Sell To Kids Harry Smith speaks with Adweek magazine's Barbara Lippert about the tricks used by marketers to exploit the buying power of children under the age of 7.
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Video Tapping The Family Checkbook Today's kids are bombarded with advertising, and it's turning them into young consumers who may even have a say in what family car to purchase. Katie Couric reports.
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Video Eye To Eye: Marketing To Kids Only On The Web: Investigative journalist Susan Gregory Thomas has examined how companies are marketing to kids, even babies. She talks with Katie Couric about the effects of this practice.
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Newsweek ad critic Barabar Lippert and Harry Smith on The Early Show Tuesday (CBS/The Early Show)
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Interactive GenTech In Depth An interactive look at the wiring of teen America: the trends, talk, realities and more.
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News Tools Teen Trends: Risks Measured Here's an illustration of how teens feel about their online experience vs. some facts about crime.
And with parents spending oodles of loot on their young kids, companies are continuing the age-old practice of using popular characters to sell their wares to children. In fact, says Adweek advertising critic Barbara Lippert, they're intensifying it. Even Uncle Sam is doing it, to sell messages.
As The Early Show continued the special CBS News series ""Gotta Have It: The Hard Sell to Kids," Lippert explained Tuesday why the hard-sell works so well at that age.
A classic example is a McDonald's campaign coinciding with the release of the movie "Shrek 3" and using Shrek characters.
"Shrek," co-anchor Harry Smith noted, "isn't just a character. He's a marketing platform."
"A muli-marketing platform" Lippert observed, "on multiple levels."
To see just how much advertising kids have aimed their way, click here.
She told Smith, "The problem with kids is they believe everything in advertising. Kids under the age of five or so can't even discern between the programming and the commercial. And there's no such thing as subliminal advertising, because they take everything at face value. They're defenseless against it. … There shouldn't be any advertising to kids at all. But you can't put that ban on it."
Lippert pointed out that, "They had some of that stuff when we were kids. Fruit Loops and stuff. The difference is, it's grown exponentially, and it's all over. If you're a 10-year-old with a cell phone, you're gonna get commercials on your cell phone. We have screens everywhere. It's on every screen. You can't not see it."
She agreed with Smith's assessment that marketers believe the younger they get kids hooked, the better the chance kids will stay committed.
"Yes," Lippert said, "that's how I feel as part of Tony the Tiger, still! It really does work. So therefore they're -- and there's so many more characters and they stay alive -- a really important part of children's movies is marketing, the fast food and all the toys, and it's huge, and this is the biggest movie promotion worldwide ever. So it'll stay in the culture forever, and you just have to teach them how to look at it."
For tips from the Better Business Bureau on teaching kids how to deal with advertising, click here.
So, Smith asked, if kids are watching this much television, what choices do parents have other than to turn off the set if they want their youngsters to avoid the influence of commercials?
"You can Tivo through and get rid of the commercials, or let them watch only DVDs," Lippert said. "Spend more time with them. They're saying it's passive and takes away from playing and drawing and singing. As long as they're getting both, I think -- you know, the American Association of Pediatrics said there should be a ban for children under two. A mom needs to take a shower every now and then, you know? You can watch a DVD. But sit down and talk to them about what they're seeing and what they're feeling about it. Later on, talk about the commercials. You think that toy will look like that when you get it home? You know, that kind of thing."
The Department of Health and Human Services has a public service announcement featuring Shrek, urging kids to exercise. Lippert said it's controversial, because Shrek is a commercial character.
But she doesn't know what the fuss is all about: "It's not like little kids will look at it and say, 'No, I'm not going to exercise because "Shrek" has a conflict. I saw him advertising M&Ms, so therefore I'm not gonna listen to him.' "
The ad won't be running on TV for several weeks, HHS says, to avoid confusion between it and promotions for "Shrek 3."
The CBS News series "Gotta Have It" continues Tuesday on The CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" with a look at how advertisers use Internet games to sell products to our children.
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The secrets of tennis legend 
To let any one know who may question why my post is duplicated - it did not publish as it usually does and I did try to publish again - after I reset the page and it still did not show.
I apologize and if this does not post on the first time - I promise not to submit it a second - even if it never shows up.
So sorry to all who hate duplicated comments :-
When I was a kid (way back sometime ago...) I remember the space ship that was sure to fly and take you up to outer space. A friend and I planned for months to find a way to buy it (to be later nixed by her parents).
Now - I am a grandma - and I must say - I do love to get the kids meals so I can get the toys for my grandson. I too am a victim (and I guess in many ways encourage my grandson's targetability - if indeed this is a word).
It is funny that Harry mentioned Shrek and McDonalds - as I was actually hit by this marketing target as soon as they launched the commercials.
Will I be a good grandmom and not allow my desire to give my grandson some cool shrek memorabilia to get the best of me? I have a feeling I will somehow succumb.
I will say my daughter is a social worker who is actually monitoring this series as her interest in working with children's issues is her top priority.
When I was a kid (way back sometime ago...) I remember the space ship that was sure to fly and take you up to outer space. A friend and I planned for months to find a way to buy it (to be later nixed by her parents).
Now - I am a grandma - and I must say - I do love to get the kids meals so I can get the toys for my grandson. I too am a victim (and I guess in many ways encourage my grandson's targetability - if indeed this is a word).
It is funny that Harry mentioned Shrek and McDonalds - as I was actually hit by this marketing target as soon as they launched the commercials.
Will I be a good grandmom and not allow my desire to give my grandson some cool shrek memorabilia to get the best of me? I have a feeling I will somehow succumb.
I will say my daughter is a social worker who is actually monitoring this series as her interest in working with children's issues is her top priority.