The Power of Marketing 3

Today we’re continuing our look at how marketing influences children and teens. As materialism takes root and grows, kids become more impulsive, buying without evaluating or thinking about the difference between wants and needs. Kids wind up wanting to acquire products they really don’t need, but they want them for the perceived emotional and quality of life benefits they promise. Marketing has also influenced kids to work more in order to have more. Those who have jobs are working longer hours, making it difficult to stay involved in other activities including church youth groups, school activities, service projects, and family time. While some kids work to save money for future educational needs, a growing number are working long hours in order to fund and sustain large luxury items including cars, audio systems, and cell phones. Parents, are your kids working for the right reasons?