own this child
...r “brand loyalty” from unsuspecting teens, many under funded schools accept these terms in a misguided attempt to essentially bring the children a better education. This in the end, only harms the children, either by being physically harmed due to long term damage the specific product may bring them, or by being penalized for giving into the school assigned commercialization This type of spending and advertisement is what Kilbourne refers to when she talks about “owning this child.” Advertisers target children at a young age, establishing a “brand loyalty” that will carry on, as the child grows older, almost like an addiction. She argues this case with an ironic comparison to how tobacco and alcohol industries also want to establish a “brand loyalty” beginning in childhood, with these products being highly addictive. Kilbourne also shows us that since children are easily influenced, many advertisers will take advantage of this by marketing their product during kids television programs, hanging out promotional materials at day-care facilities, and even influencing our school boards by promising funding and teaching equipment. Kilbourne says this is the “most troubling” aspect of advertisement. She refutes this by stating that if a political or religious group entertained the same type of “advertising,” it would most likely result in some type of public debate, even though politics, religion, and general advertising are all aimed to persuade. Since advertisers target schools to gain their “brand loyalty” from unsuspecting teens, many under funded schools accept these terms in a misguided attempt to essentially bring the children a better education. This in the end, only harms the children, either by being physically harmed due to long term damage the specific product may bring them, or by being penalized for giving into the school assigned commercialization This type of spending and advertisement is what Kilbourne refers to when she talks about “owning this child.” Advertisers target children at a young age, establishing a “brand loyalty” that will carry on, as the child grows older, almost like an addiction. She argues this case with an ironic comparison to how tobacco and alcohol industries also want to establish a “brand loyal...