The Sane Mind of The Mad Men.

          

                   After reading the essay, “Kid Kustomers,” by Erik Schlossers I found myself disagreeing with a few aspects, but overall agreeing with the message. However, due to constraints in writing this blog response, here is my disagreeing opinion. Despite being blasted from over 30,000 television advertisements a year and being targeted by huge corporations with a doctrine of “cradle to the grave loyalty.” I find that children, with the right guidance from their parents, will see to the root purpose of advertisement, which is of course to make money.

Corporations are constantly diverting funds to expand and discover new research that opens a wider gaze into a child’s mind of what they want and desire. Even with all that effort targeting these helpless, and defenseless future consumer’s the “Mad Men” fail to understand a couple things. One that most kids under the age of 12 don't have money to buy these products, even with the seven different ways of pressuring parents into buying these products. Two, the companies fail again to understand that a parent has more power over their children’s pathetic attempts which make a used car sales man seem respectful.  

This is not to say that there are exceptions to the rule, face it, we all have been to Wal-Mart and other fine stores and personally witnessed the ad agent’s tool of persuasion such as “The Demonstrator Nudge,” and tactics. Despite probably having a full tank of embarrassment and empty tank of patience, the parents of those children usually do not enable the Mad Man’s dream of having children controlling the household’s budget. 

The Government regulating these controversial doctrines and strategies in long run are probably hurting more than they are saving the feeble and nimble mind of the future average American Consumer. Think of how much money goes into advertisement! Think just by limiting the targeted of children demography, all of the Don Drapers’ in the industry wouldn't be able to obtain the suits, cars, condo’s and definitively not the amount of fine scotch at their disposal. That’s called trickle down economics, ladies and gentlemen; in these poor hard economics times, I’d say blast the demographic with harmless attempts to Pied Piper the children.

I have so many wonderful and amazing memories filled as a child by dreaming and envying all the products that were targeting me. Every glorious and ritualistic Saturday morning, I would witness with the most amazing and life changing toy products. From Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle’s Battle Wagon, to The Street Sharks, and who could forget all the Jurassic Park action figures?  With year long targeting, especially around The Holiday’s, I had a new product to beg, demonstrate, and attempt to bribe my parents with every day.

The point being is this, no matter how hard I begged as a kid, screaming/throwing a fit, that never seem to bring me closer to my dreams ambition of the complete collection of My Little Ponies, or Cabbage Patch Kids. It was through only being obedient, respectful, and not being annoying that opened my parent’s pocket book. And of course that was after the house, food, heating and other such life expenses were budgeted. Furthermore, after the monthly budget, it was lastly my parent’s clear conscious of determining what was good for me in that moment and what would benefit me in the long run that would eventually land Polly Pocket’s new toy into shaking hands of excitement. I say as long as products are not dangerous such as, tobacco, alcohol, drugs and other such vices, I say blast those children into the next decade of bad hair and fashion.