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The Damaging Influence of Advertising on Children Can Be Reduced.

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The damaging influence of advertising on children can be reduced.

Academic Reading and Writing Course EWR 1211

July 1, 2009

Outline

Title: The damaging influence of advertising on children can be reduced.

I. Introduction

Thesis statement:

As advertising causes childhood obesity, which can lead to serious diseases, government and schools should take urgent actions to improve the situation.

II. Background of the problem

1. Marketing Industry

2. Children

3. Increased risk of being overweight and its serious consequences

III. Solution one

The first possible solution is that government should restrict the attack of food marketing on kids.

A. Advantages

1. Decreased number of commercials

2. Elimination of junk food marketing

B. Disadvantages

1. “The system has kinks”

2. Difficulties in identifying junk foods

3. Limitation of democracy

IV. Solution two

Another feasible solution that schools should create a healthy environment.

A. Advantages

1. Availability of healthful foods

2. Improvement in kids’ diets

3. Connection with local farmers

4. Health education

5. Promotion of nutritional products

6. Decreased rate of obesity

B. Disadvantages

1. Long cafeteria lines, not enough time for lunch, noise

2. Accessibility of competitive foods

3. Schools’ fundraising

V. Conclusion

To sum up, due to the negative consequences of influence of commercials on children, it is important for authorities and educational institutions to start taking steps to tackle this problem.

Advertising becomes an inseparable part of people’s life. Nowadays marketers are more interested in children, because they not only spend a big sum of their own dollars on promoted products, but they are also the future consumers. However, advertisements in most cases promote high-sugared, high-fat food products. They affect child’s product preferences and it leads to different health problems, such as obesity. Being overweight and promotion of products are strongly connected. As advertising causes childhood obesity, which can lead to serious diseases, government and schools should take urgent actions to improve the situation.

Marketing industry nowadays is growing very fast and is one of the most lucrative businesses. For example, the cost of promotional time sold to advertisers has risen from 0 in 1982, to $107 millions in 2003 (Linn, 2004). In fact companies spend a large amount of money on marketing. In 2002 McDonalds spent almost $1,3 billion on different commercials (Linn, 2004). In 2001, Burger King spent $80 million on advertisement oriented just to kids (Linn, 2004). Food industry attracts consumers to buy unhealthy, high-sugared, poor nutritional products. In this case, the most vulnerable are children, because they could not distinguish between commercial messages and reality. They associate products with the context of advertisements. It is expected that kids watch more than 20000 promotions annually, half of which are of the junk foods (Goldberg, et.al., 1979). So their bids for advertised foods are connected with commercials (Linn, 2004). According to the study by Goldberg, et.al. (1978) kids are more likely to choose promoted products, than not advertised vegetables, fruits and nutritional foods. High exposure of kids to foods in advertisements is one of the main factors of the development of childhood obesity. The poll in Advertising Age has shown that about 77% of people strongly believe that there is a direct connection between commercials and being overweight (as cited in Linn, 2004). Furthermore, obese kids have a risk of serious diseases, such as Type II diabetes, gallstones, osteoarthritis, etc and psychological disorders, like feeling unhappy, low self-confidence (Morrill., & Chinn, 2004). On the whole, advertising industry controls children consumer behavior and causes obesity among young ones.

The first possible solution is that government should restrict the attack of food marketing on kids. This way of tackling the problem has several numbers of benefits. Firstly, many developed countries ban marketing to children in order to decrease number of commercials. One of the examples that in Finland advertising messages which are provided by kids or cartoons’ heroes are prohibited (Linn, 2004). Secondly authorities in different countries eliminate junk food marketing because of its connection with childhood overweight. For instance, New Zealand does not allow commercials of high-sugared, fat products to be shown to offspring (Linn, 2004). On the other hand, government regulation has some disadvantages. First, “the system has kinks” (Jordan, 2008, p. 247). According to the research by the Annenberg Public Policy Center regulation does not always have significant changes in advertising to children (as cited in Jordan, 2008). The companies continue to broadcast the programs, which they consider to be relevant to young people. Secondly, it is difficult sometimes to identify junk foods, because there is no strict description in evaluating such products. Finally, the regulation of commercials leads to limitation of democracy, because advertising is protected as free speech (Jordan, 2008). In short, authorities should regulate commercials designed to kids; however, there are some difficulties.

Another feasible solution that schools should create a healthy environment. Almost all children attend educational organizations, so they have very strong impact on students’ preferences. One benefit of this way is that schools offer “breakfast and lunch programs” (Story, et.al., 2006, p.111). Foods on these two plans must have exact nutritional value, which means they provide children with vitamins, proteins and iron (Story, et.al., 2006). Secondly, these programs help to make positive changes in kids’ diets and improve them. Children, who eat at schools, intake much more nutritional products, than those who do not (Story, et.al., 2006). Thirdly, schools, which take part in meals programs connect with local farmers and support them. Their foods make up about 20 % of schools use and the rest by buying on the market or through cooperatives (Story, et.al., 2006). Fourthly, kids are given health education. They are taught which products have damaging effect on organism and which can help to be healthy. By explaining the significance of both nutrition and physical activity education can help children to accept healthful lifestyle (Story, et.al., 2006). Furthermore, with health educational programs, schools promote nutritional products, which can improve kids’ eating habits. However, this solution also has negative sides. Long cafeteria lines, not enough time for lunch, crowds and noise can encourage student to go to vending machines, full of soda, chocolate bars, etc. Only 18% of foods in such machines are fruits and vegetables (Story, et.al., 2006). Also, competitive foods with high caloric and minimal nutritional values are available everywhere at educational organizations. School Health Policies and Programs Study (SHPPS) show that about 43% of elementary schools have vending machines (Story, et.al., 2006) which give easy access to such products. One more disadvantage is that schools’ fundraising often involves the sale of competitive foods. For instance, clubs, sport teams sell such products in order to find money to different schools activities. Nearly every educational organization has contract with food producing companies, which sponsor its events and materials. In short, schools can play an important role in preventing childhood obesity, because they can change students’ choices of foods in positive way, but there are still some disadvantages.

To sum up, due to the negative consequences of influence of commercials on children, it is important for authorities and educational institutions to start taking steps to tackle this problem. In this way schools’ impact on kids’ preferences is much higher, because they are closer to offspring and can help to reduce childhood obesity.

Working bibliography

Boddewyn, J.J. (1982), Advertising Regulation in the 1980s: The Underlying Global Forces. Journal of Marketing, 46, 27-35. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Cawley, J. (2006), Markets and Childhood Obesity Policy. The future of children, 16, 69-82. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Evans, W.D. (2008), Social Marketing Campaigns and Children’s Media Use. The future of children, 18, 181-198. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Goldberg, M.E., & Gorn, G.J. (1978), Some Unintended Consequences of TV Advertising to Children. Journal of Consumer Research, 5, 22-29. Retrieved June 19, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Goldberg, M.E, Gorn, G.J., & Gibson, W. (1978), TV Messages for Snack and Breakfast Foods: Do They Influence Children’s Preferences? Journal of Consumer Research, 5, 73-81. Retrieved June 19, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Jordan, A.B. (2008), Children’s Media Policy. The future of children, 18, 235-249. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Linn, S.E. (2004), Food Marketing to Children in the Context of a Marketing Maelstrom. Journal of Public Health Policy, 25, 367-378. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Macklin, M.C. (1987), Preschoolers' Understanding of the Informational Function of Television Advertising. Journal of consumer research, 14, 229-239. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Moore, E.S., & Lutz, R.J. (2000), Children, Advertising, and Product Experiences: A Multimethod Inquiry. Journal of consumer research, 27, 31-48. Retrieved June 23, 2009, from J-Stor database

Morrill, A.C., & Chinn, C.D. (2004), The Obesity Epidemic in the United States. Journal of Public Health Policy, 25, 353-366. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

Story, M., Kaphingst, K.M., & French, S. (2006), The role of Schools in Obesity Prevention. The future of children, 16, 109-131. Retrieved June 17, 2009, from J-Stor database.

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