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

Update: How cute! Old Navy marketing starts girls on sexualization path as toddlers

August 29, 2014 by

Michelle Cove, who is the founder of MediaGirls, a media literacy program in Brookline, Massachusetts, sent along this photo and comment, as a follow up to my previous post about Old Navy advertising. "Sexualizing girls early isn’t always about … [Read more...]

Filed Under: girls and women in media, marketing to parents, Media literacy, parent education, People taking action, sexualization, Sexualization of children

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

Inspiring toy ad for girls, just in time for holiday shopping season

November 20, 2013 by

A few things about this ad: (see update, No. 4 item, below) 1. It's inspiring. Marketing does have an effect on all of us, but especially children. There are  many girls who are going to see this ad and be inspired to make cool stuff. Older girls … [Read more...]

Filed Under: gender stereotyping, girls and women in media, marketing to children, Media literacy, People taking action, positive media

#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

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