The Consumer Society and the Future of the Earth - Assignment Example

Name Tutor Course Date Introduction This paper aims to distinguish the ethical issues that have in marketing targeted to children. Such unethical habits and marketing implications have become controversial issue that increase at an alarming rate among countries. Further the ways of creating advertisements is questioned for their credibility and deceptive tactics meant for children. Additionally, this paper also identifies how conflict of interest and misleading have significantly affected teenager’s interest and how marketing manipulates children and influence their thinking in a subliminal way. The possible outcomes that are jeopardizing to both marketers and consumers and the moral intensity of the condition are also discussed. Promoters spend lots of billions annually encouraging, convincing and manipulating children into a consumer lifestyle that has destructive consequences through lavishness and wastefulness (Sharon, 1998). Promoters exploit individual insecurities, create fake needs and give counterfeit solutions. Children are mostly prone to this kind of manipulation. Teenagers are increasingly the target of promotion and marketing since they spend lots of cash, and have great influence on their parents. While this child-targeting used to focus on sweets and toys, it now comprises clothes, shoes, fast foods, sport equipment, or computer games (William, 2002). In the United States there are more than 5 million school age young children who spend around $1000 billion annually on fast food, sweets, video games, toys, movies, clothes or shoes (Paul, 2005). Further children below 12 influence family spending decisions worth about $165million on food, electrical appliances and computer, household items such as furniture, vacations or family cars. This implies that manufacturers cannot afford to exclude children in their marketing. Firms such as Nissan sponsor The American Youth Soccer Organization and a travelling exhibit so as to obtain exposure for their band name and logo in child-friendly environment. Chrysler issues many glossy cardboard pop-up promotional articles by direct mail that will attract children who like pop-up articles. Chevrolet has also employed advertisement featuring children. USA marketers are now starting to identify the potential of the international children’s market. Children represent three distinct markets. Children spend direct money and influence money, they also represent a third major market and probably the most vital which is future market. Marketers identify brand loyalties and consumer practices created when children are young and prone will be passed through to adulthood. Around puberty children are shaping their own identities and they are extremely vulnerable to pressure to fit in group standards. At this stage they feel insecure and desire to feel that they belong to their peer group. Marketing influences them through their insecurities, seeking to identify normality for them. Advertising influences they way they perceive and get appropriate models for the adult world and undermining basic human values in the growth of the identity for children. Marketers actively encourage them to look for happiness and esteem through consumption. It is for these reasons that advertising to children should be carefully restricted. Especially advertisements aimed at children below 9 years old including the internet adverts and during children’s TV programmes. Such advertising sponsors the expenses of these services at the cost of our children’s morals, sense of well-being, health and uprightness. Further the future of the world is as stake if we permit advertisers to convert children into manic consumers of the future. Marketing ethics are dimensions that display advertiser’s morality attitude behind marketing or advertising. Moreover, it is also subjected to the manner in which marketers conduct promotions that establish whether it will create negative or negative morals to the targeted consumer. However, it is recognized that marketing is frequently executed in a frame work that prejudices the moral of genuine marketing. For example, if an advertisement aimed at children violates its integrity, transparency, uprightness or privacy of the children, it is acknowledged as unethical conducts. In this ethical perspective, it raises unique issues. Regularly, these concerns cluster with indivisible arguments. Do children understand particular marketing standards, if political, policy makers and regulatory controls should ban advertising for children? (Winston, 2004). Do marketers obtain parents consent for children in deciding the final purchase authority? These questions portray that child markets are so fragmented in this swift changing world. Marketers tend to employ this fragmented market as their sole target to scavenge for more profits (Faith, 2002). In addition, advertising to children is all about manipulating the mindset of their consumer (Paul, 2000). Much health related issues have been recognized in advertising to children. One of the issues that cause greatest problems is disgracefully crowned obesity. It has been defined as devastating fat accumulation that may harm one’s health (obesity and overweight, 2006). In modern world, the situation in various nations and mostly US is so critical where children chose to spend their time watching TV than outdoor events. Carolyn (2010) states that children are naïve to justify what is really good for them, all they have is desire of getting foods from the advertisements. For example, an advertisement from McDonald of its supersized French-fries and soft drinks by merely topping up with 39 cents had obtained critics for encouraging overeating. In marketing mix perspective, McDonald smartly applied its products, prices and promotions tactic to invite people to eat by having greater portions with just 39 cents added. Advertisers constantly create a mindset for children that food is fun. The effects brought by such promotions are intolerant. The consequences of such unethical advertisements contributes more health problems hence, action need to be undertaken to effectively tackle such unethical conduct that leads to obesity and other health problems among the children (Lionel, 2000). Another ethical concern is when advertisers involve children’s psychologists in their market research. The reason is apparent that these psychologists are hired to attack children’s mindset. Advertising makes people believe that they are losers without such products. Children are very sensitive. For instance, children are made to believe that cartoon characters are created just for them. Therefore, the ethical issues come up when such advertisements are broadcasted in the evening children’s television programming. It happens to be the weakest parental guidance time. Such isolation in the afternoon perfected the aim of marketers and have children view the classified ads at all cost. Such advertisements spoil children attitudes and put parent in face with monetary hardship too. From the 3Ps of extended marketing mix viewpoint, the people and processes that get involved are unethical and the physical evidence is the marketing itself. Markets perceive children as cash machine that constantly produce profits for unhealthy marketing that targets children. Therefore, it is important for government and policy makers to set firm rules regarding children advertising. It implies that improving the credibility and minimizing the deceptive adverse can considerably infuse promising consequences (Paul, 2005). On the other hand, children are not inexperienced innocents, but clever consumers who can differentiate between advertisement and programmes and comprehend that advertisements can be misleading. This important learning process is really developed through exposure to advertisements. It is also aided by responsible parents who do not permit children to watch TV alone, but spends some time viewing with them and discussing on what is viewed. Advertising have no mysterious power to create strange desires for material possessions. Children who pester are just brought up badly. Poor parenting and undisciplined children cannot be solved by banning advertising, as young ones have many influences upon them which can stimulate their desires for toys or video games, especially their friends. Understanding how to spend cash is part of growing up and advertisements assist them to choose what they would wish to invest for. Children naturally prefer foods rich in fats, proteins and sugars. They provide them with energy needed to play energetically and grow healthily. It is true that consuming such foods is not healthy for people but this is an issue of bad parenting instead of the draw backs of advertising. If advertising to children would be banned, then governments would not have means of advertising healthy eating, highway safety and other social beneficial messages. Conclusion Responsible marketing is not all about banning the advertisements. It’s clear that advertising brings ethical issues for young ones. They are a susceptible segment and because of the technology advancement, it furthers increases the broadcast of messages directly to children. Nevertheless, the responsibility of safeguarding children is still on the marketer’s hand. Marketers need to appreciate and abide to the rules and regulations that are set by ethics representative. Adhere to these codes of conduct and apply them when creating advertisements for their companies. Clearly, it is important to introduce a solution towards the issues by conducting advertising in a manner that neither inclines consumers nor favor advertisers. (Paul 2005). Marketers should constantly advertise their products but in a manner that promotes more space for children in the future instead of thoroughly conquering all they possess. This can accomplished through treating children as an informed consumer by educating them on what marketing is all about. Such understanding of the intricacies of marketing tactics at an early age can make sue that children are familiar to basics of marketing atmosphere (Paul, 2000). Additionally, parents need to play a significant role in dealing with the marketing ethical issues. Parents need to educate their young ones about advertising strategies used by advertisers. Marketers have to realize the limits of reasonable practice have been critically breached and they should not assume the attention given in regards to a better outcome of their advertisements. Consequently, if all these groups take their task into account, the achievement of advertising towards children will be more ethical and friendly in future (Durning, 1992). References Carolyn, S; Ethical Issues When Marketing To Children, 2010. Durning,T; How Much is Enough: The Consumer Society and the Future of the Earth, Worldwatch Environmental Alert Series, 1992 p. 120. Faith, M. Marketing and advertising: Harmful to children's health. The Lancet 360, no. 9338, 2002. Lionel, S; Marketing to kids in the 21st century? Policy and Legislation Affecting Advertising to Children, 2000. Obesity and overweight. 2006. Accessed on 25th April 2013; http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/index.html Paul, C; Advertising and Marketing to Children: Exploitation or Socialisation?. Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers, 2000 Paul, K; Responsible marketing to children in the US. Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers 6, 2005 Sharon, B; Marketing to Children, 1998. Accessed on 25th April 2013 http://www.uow.edu.au/~sharonb/children.html Tom M and Kevin H; Getting Inside Kids' Heads', American Demographics, Vol. 19, No. 1,1997. William, S; Ethics and the Business of Children's Public Television Programming. Journal Teaching Business Ethics 6, 2002 Winston, F; The Challenge of Advertising to Children. Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers 5,2004. Read More