“Consuming kids: The commercialization of childhood” is a documentary that focuses on the tremendous growth of child marketing which has thrived in an unregulated industry. The documentary addresses topics in a wide range scope such as “edutainment” for toddlers and babies, commercialization in schools and increased market research. It relies on industry insiders, health care professionals, advocates for children, news media clips and advertising to expose the controversies in the industry. Although the documentary recognizes the impact of child marketing on growth in terms of annual spending of about $700b, it is against wholesale commercialization of childhood through exposing the effects of the same on the well being and health of children.
The film has tried to attain a substantial degree of persuasion although the specific goal of the film is not clearly stipulated (Lannon, p. 123). The film succeeds in connecting with the audience on the basis of relationships by addressing them as parents and society and rationally providing information that allows the audience to engage in thought. Additionally, the evidence provided is broad and adequate enough to persuade. In addition, the film recognizes the constraints to its achievement by addressing the various constraints involved. For example, the organizational constraints of the media revealed through the reduction of the authority of the Federal Trade Commission, political constraints originating from the deregulation of the industry, legal constraints and ethical constraints.
The documentary “Consuming kids” generally addresses parents and school administrators. The political realities addressed refer to the influence of rich industry owners on the decisions of the government. This is addressed through the decision of the Congress to lower the power of Federal Trade commission and indeed deregulate the industry thus giving more power to the industry players (Media Education Foundation). The political realities are exposed through blaming the government for the problem yet it is supposed to be the solution. Ronald Regan, a player in the industry for example dismisses the authority of Congress on the basis of bureaucracy and praises the media for professionalism.
The film connects with its audience through relationally and rationally addressing them as parents and the manner in which the argument is presented stimulates thoughts of the audience. However, the film excludes the children from the play and does not include more supporters of the child marketing (Pugh, p. 165). Replaying the film on a personal basis, I would include the kids more so as to have their opinions and points of view which would be considered and then have the insights of the experts based on these opinions. In addition, I would include the supporters of child marketing so as to provide opportunities to challenge their opinions and have the audience get their points of view.
The authors of this film have to overcome the constraints of showing the relation between child marketing and its effects on children. They have to do this by providing broad-based evidence that shows a causation and reaction effect. In addition, the authors have to overcome the constraints of technological advancement and modernization and provide recommendations. The film is likely to meet resistance from the children due to their exclusion and this is not adequately handled since children have a personal responsibility for their lives despite having other people watch over them. The film is also likely to face resistance from the Congress because of the political realities revealed and the positive contributions of the industry to the economy. Additionally, the industry players are likely to resist it since it would mean reduced business for them.
The beginning of the film reveals its thesis from the title. The thesis is the effect of childhood commercialization on consuming children. At the beginning of the film, a different point of view is presented through the recognition that since the journey of consumerism for children begins at infancy, they have the right to be considered as consumers at that age (Media Education Foundation). This means that as consumers they are subject to the mechanisms in the market. The film focuses on reasons that support the fact that childhood commercialization has the effects of consuming kids. The reasons provided include the purchasing influence of children who determine major purchasing decisions, the nagging behavior and manipulation of parents, the deregulation of the industry, lack of media literacy curricula to help children, edutainment and the reliance on experts in advertising to erode the innocence of childhood and the effects of child marketing on the well-being and health of children (Pugh, p. 166).
The focus of information is important with much emphasis on the deregulation of the industry as the cause of the problem while the other reasons are given equal weight. The conclusion of the film focuses more on the effects of the child marketing on the children. The authors provide a definitive action for the audience which entails taking responsibility for their children. However, this proves more of a challenge in a deregulated industry and the solution would be advocacy for increased regulation and increased research on the same. The film clearly presents the consequences of inaction mainly in negative effects on the health of children such as diabetes, obesity and general inactivity.
Works Cited
- Lannon, John. Technical Communication. New York: Pearson Longman, 2008.
- Media Education Foundation. Consuming Kids: The commercialization of Childhood. [Online].
- Pugh, Allison. “Media Education Foundation. Consuming Kids: The commercialization of childhood.” Journal of Consumer Culture 10.1 (2010): 164-166.