Letting Children be Children
2.
There is evidence that society is becoming increasingly commercialised (DCSF/DCMS, 2009; Phoenix, 2011). The market for goods and services for children is large and growing—estimated to be in the order of £100 billion a year if childcare and education is included–and there is some evidence that children's influence on family spending is increasing, as well as their own spending power (DCSF/DCMS, 2009). It is not surprising then if companies choose to appeal directly to children as consumers (Marketing magazine, 2011).
3.
From an early age, children are able to recognise the names of familiar people and objects as part of their normal development. It is therefore to be expected that if they repeatedly see a brand logo or hear its name they will be able to recognise and name it, especially the brands of companies popular with their family. Research in the Netherlands showed that 2 and 3 year-olds could recognise eight out of the 12 brands shown to them (Valkenburg and Buijzen, 2005). This means that even companies not overtly marketing to children can benefit from having their brands prominently displayed and easily recognised by the potential customers of the future.
4.
Children are also living increasingly 'media—saturated' lives, inevitably being exposed to an increasing volume of advertising and marketing as they watch television, go online, use mobile phones and smart phones, or play video games (see Figure 7).
Figure 7: Commercial Media Clock of a school day, ages 5-16 (self-reported)
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Source: Childwise, the Monitor Report 2010-11, Children's media use and purchasing. (Reproduced in Advertising Association, 2011)
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