Media Awareness Network, “Special Issues for Tweens and Teens”, accessed on June 21, 2010 from:
http://www.media-awarenessca./english/parents/marketing/issues_teens_marketing.cfm
This is a disturbing article dealing with the “tween market”. According to the article, advertising to these kids has a specific market for the ages of 8-12, and they are anxious to develop a sophisticated self-image.
Industry research shows that tweens don’t consider themselves children anymore, and accordingly the Toy Manufactures have changed their target age from birth to 14 to birth to 10.
A very troubling thought from this article is as follows: “By treating pre-adolescents as independent, mature consumers, marketers have been very successful in removing the gatekeepers (parents) from the picture-messages about body image, sexuality, relationships and violence.” It reminds me of giving a drivers license to a twelve-year-old.
For so many tweens it is important to be cool and the marketers waste no time on capitalizing on this age-old insecurity. Some companies actually hire “cool hunters” and “cultural spies” to bring back the latest trends.
Tween attitudes concerning body image and sexuality are attempted to be forged by advertisers that promote thin, fit, and beautiful. Not everyone can be thin, fit, and beautiful, and it is a disservice from the advertisers who give the same message to all tweens and teens. These messages are the act of packaging girlhood and boyhood. According to the marketers, tween girls are “pretty and sexy and are obsesses with boys, friends, shopping, pop stars and celebrities. Tween boys are independent and strong, are preoccupied with sports, video games, adventure, cars, music, and hanging out with friends.”
Looking at the tween market is a scary thing. To think that a bunch of people actually can mold an age group to their liking for profit is free market capitalism taking a nosedive.
One of the things I hope we have an opportunity to discuss this session is marketing and tweens and media literacy. I think libraries have a chance to introduce media literacy through some "fun" programming - like having tweens design and market advertising and public service announcements for the library and the services they offer. Then you can discuss how editing and images are used to "sell" an item. Research studies have suggested that kids who produce their own media with guidance have a more critical eye when viewing media.
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