The most popular form of media aim at children these days is television; it is also the most expensive form of media, but with children watching "3 to 5 hours of television daily" (ERIC Digest 1990 P.1) it is the only form of media that is watched each day, at selected times to "reach a large number of children" (ERIC Digest 1990 P.1).
Creating Brand-Conscious Babies is what advertising campaigns are currently aimed at accomplishing. .
"At six months of age, the same age they are imitating simple sounds like "ma-ma", babies are forming mental images of corporate logos and mascots." (McNeal 1993 P.1).
The brands that appeal to children are those that have a very distinctive image, logo or music and use children in the adverts as well as famous people like footballers. Toy manufacturers try to sell action figures and accessories by producing cartoon show's, like Max Steel and Barbie, so not only do your children watch the show they also watch the advertisements in between related to the shows merchandise.
These high budget, major scale advertising campaigns can only work with two other key factors, and without them, these campaigns would be worthless, these key factors are pester power and peer pressure.
Pester power (factor) works. Children's influence on parents to purchase brand goods is growing at an alarming rate to the extent that parents will put themselves into debt to please their childern, provide them these lavish items. Peer pressure works in two ways, either the childern want to be part of the "in "crowd or they don't want to be the one that's being excluded, the odd one out. .
Most schools do not allow pupils to bring or wear expensive goods that may cause them to be stolen or to show which children can't afford brand items. Peer pressure is now so bad that schools have had to establish bullying rules and employ counsellors to deal with social exclusion. .
"Don't worry about me, I have gone up above where I really want to be, no bullies, no school, just happiness.