Branding as an Art

As our society is obsessed with materialism, it is no wonder that "Children as young as three are feeling social pressure and understand that consumption of certain brands can help them through life." This is a quote from lead researcher Anna McAlister from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. How desperate and insecure has our country become? The article, "Even a 3-Year-Old Understands the Power of Advertising" reveals that parents need to be more aware of what they are letting their kids watch on television. Toddlers and all kids are the target of so many advertisements and commercials these days. Corporations have understood that if they are able to draw people in at a young age, they can then have a strong base foundation which will have a better chance of lasting a long time. The article then mentions how kids don't have an understanding of brands until the age of 8. All the more though to realize that kids are targets because the idea of brand loyalty is capable of being instilled subconsciously at a younger age than 8. I agree when the article says that kids care about toys and soft drinks and food. But, I also think that there is something to be said about the power of subliminal messaging that no human can fully understand the effects it can have. I even remember as a kid wearing And 1 basketball shoes because that's what was perceived to be cool as a six or seven year old. The next several years, I only wanted to have And 1 basketball shoes because I felt a certain attachment to the brand. I felt to a degree that should I buy Nike or another brand that I would be betraying the company that I had first chosen as "mine". Regardless, I believe that parents need to realize the magnitude of the effect branding can have on kids.