Several commercial children's TV channels, such as Cartoon Network, play typically one or two adverts each commercial break (of which there are many) advertising the services of credit and loan companies. These are the kind of TV advertisements that show interviews with previous customers (not actors) saying how f**ked up their lives were before they got in touch with the friendly people at XYZ Finance "who consolodated all their loans and credit card debts into one manageable monthly repayment". And how after doing so, their lives had never been better, all beaming smiles. Of course, the legalised loan sharks are not advertising to the kids as such, I'd guess they have some market research that says parents are typically or variably hovering around in the background whenever these adverts are running, hoping to pitch to them instead. But this is hijacking what should otherwise be a clear channel for kids.
Commercial children's TV companies are not permitted to advertise alcohol, pron or other adult material, but I shudder to think what effect this kind of advertising has on the kids who grow up watching it. Grow up watching 40-50 adverts each day about how credit companies make life all shiny and new for sad people and what do you get? An never ending conveyor belt of new market demographics who are socially conditioned to believe that living on the 'never-never' is a veritable nirvana.
I honestly believe that this ranks up there with early cigarette advertising that said fags improved your health. It's as least as cynical as the McDonalds Happy Meal comfort food concept of associating in the minds of kids that eating McD's makes you happy.
Commercial children's TV companies are not permitted to advertise alcohol, pron or other adult material, but I shudder to think what effect this kind of advertising has on the kids who grow up watching it. Grow up watching 40-50 adverts each day about how credit companies make life all shiny and new for sad people and what do you get? An never ending conveyor belt of new market demographics who are socially conditioned to believe that living on the 'never-never' is a veritable nirvana.
I honestly believe that this ranks up there with early cigarette advertising that said fags improved your health. It's as least as cynical as the McDonalds Happy Meal comfort food concept of associating in the minds of kids that eating McD's makes you happy.