The implications of marketing potentially harmful materials to minors : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)
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Abstract
Children are a very profitable market segment for businesses because children spendabout $4.7 billion of their own money, are future spenders, and have an influence on their parents purchase decisions. Because of this, businesses are spending money and effort to promote their products to children. These products include toys, music, food, clothes, movies, etc. This is a topic that continues to be controversial because parents and other adults feel that marketers are using tricks to persuade children to buy products that are potentially harmful or detrimental to a child's development. In order to discuss this topic thoroughly, many different ethical implications and questions as well as the psychological impact that the marketing tactic and product have on developing children will be explored. Based on the research, marketers have a social responsibility to avoid marketing products to children that could potentially be a threat to their emotional, physical, and/or mental health.