Alex Bogusky, influential advertising exec, calls for end of advertising to children.
“What if we decided that advertising to children was something none of would engage in anymore? … A lot of things would happen and almost all seem to be for the good of society.
“… Shades of grey don’t exist in our society’s decision to allow millions to be spent targeting an audience that is literally and physiologically incapable of protecting and defending themselves from a message probably doesn’t have their very best interest at heart.”
Bogusky says a legislative ban could provide for “a new and even playing field where there is no disadvantage created.”
UPDATE: Bogusky wrote on June 24. Today, the news is that he has left the advertising business. See New York Times and Fast Company.
Marion Nestle writes about a paper in the July issue of the American Journal of Public Health finding that industry self-regulation is usually cynically self-serving and ineffective.
Melinda Tankard Reist argues on ABC’s Gruen Sessions that objectification of women in advertising is only getting worse. Some points:
That images which would be considered sexual harassment if posted in a workplace are considered perfectly acceptable if posted on giant billboards in the public domain
That there needed to be greater industry accountability and responsibility
In Sociological Images, a look at kids meal toys at Burger King: Boys toy “leaps.” Girl’s toy is “soft.”
Marketing, Media and Childhood 