A call to toy companies to stop marketing violence to children

November 4, 2014 by

Here at Marketing, Media and Childhood, we love it when people take action. So I invited reader Catherine Cook of Denver to write a guest post about her petition to Mega Brands (owned by Mattel) to stop shelving toys based on violent video games in … [Read more...]

Filed Under: boys and men in media, marketing gone too far, marketing sex and violence to children, People taking action, video games, violence in the media

Houghton Mifflin brings execution horror into classrooms

September 3, 2014 by

"Houghton Mifflin's Channel One News makes the execution of James Foley the top news story for students down to the third grade. Picture of executioner holding the knife that beheads James Foley is shown to middle school students." Read more: … [Read more...]

Filed Under: captive audience, commercialization of childhood, health issues, industry self-regulation, marketing gone too far, marketing sex and violence to children, media gone too far, media policy, People taking action, technology in schools, violence in the media

Sexualization of girls via Old Navy, Boston Globe

August 8, 2014 by

I'm wondering how exactly Old Navy could have made the decision that this is an appropriate advertisement for its clothing for little girls. Remind you of anyone?     This child is about 10 years old, and recreating a pose from … [Read more...]

Filed Under: girls and women in media, marketing gone too far, pornification, Sexualization of children

The unprecedented parenting challenges of our day

August 1, 2014 by

Never before have parents had to "deliberately and consciously counter many of the dominant messages of their own culture." (A synopsis of a Must Read article for all parents of small children) One day, Gloria DeGaetano found herself with two … [Read more...]

Filed Under: boys and men in media, commercialization of childhood, girls and women in media, health issues, marketing gone too far, media gone too far, Media literacy, mental health issues, parent education, screen time

Brazil bans advertising to children

May 5, 2014 by

Banned because it's abusive. Amazing to see a country respect children's needs over corporate profits. When will the U.S. do the same? Here is a summary based on a Consumers International article: The National Council for the Rights of Children … [Read more...]

Filed Under: commercialization of childhood, health issues, legislation, marketing gone too far, marketing to children, People taking action

Sports Illustrated’s Barbie cover and media blitz: Selling sexual objectification to little girls?

February 13, 2014 by

So let's look at the big picture. A corporation that controls a huge amount of media - Time Warner -  will place a doll on the front cover of the Swimsuit Edition of Sports Illustrated - a sports magazine issue that showcases women's bodies not as … [Read more...]

Filed Under: body image, girls and women in media, health issues, marketing gone too far, marketing to children, media gone too far, objectification, pornification, Sexualization of children

#BraveGirlsWant take back media campaign kicks off Friday

October 10, 2013 by

If you are anywhere in or near New York City tomorrow, Friday, Oct. 11 – the second International Day of the Girl Child – get yourself and your daughters down to Times Square for the kick off of the Brave Girls Alliance campaign. They are … [Read more...]

Filed Under: body image, gender stereotyping, girls and women in media, health issues, marketing gone too far, media gone too far, Media literacy, objectification, People taking action, Positive marketing and media series, positive media, sexualization, social action

How junk food marketers use science and deep pockets to exploit children

September 25, 2013 by

What are parents up against? Highly sophisticated marketers who spend billions and hire top experts to figure out how to exploit your children's natural biology and psychology to get them to crave junk food. That's according to a short Food … [Read more...]

Filed Under: marketing gone too far, marketing to children

Parents see their children hurt by stereotyped toy marketing, demand that retailers stop

September 18, 2013 by

Some parents across the pond decided they have had enough of the gender-stereotyped toy marketing that is being pushed on their kids by retailers. They got organized, and less than a year ago, Let Toys Be Toys burst onto the scene. They have had … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Featured, gender stereotyping, marketing gone too far, marketing to children, marketing to parents, People taking action, Positive marketing and media series

Baby apps, teen films, Stride Rite, Marissa Mayer, female-centric media or lack thereof, media research, Miley and Robin

August 28, 2013 by

This week, a mish-mash of media readings.  First of all, I'm grateful to my friend Melissa Wardy of PigtailPals for putting together this discussion for parents about the Miley Cyrus performance on MTV's music video awards show this weekend. What … [Read more...]

Filed Under: boys and men in media, bullying, gender stereotyping, girls and women in media, health issues, marketing gone too far, marketing to children, marketing to parents, media gone too far, objectification, sexualization, violence in the media
Next Page»