The targeted teen - why us?
Schools - It is a well known fact that the trend of advertising is becoming a larger one day by day. Ads are everywhere!
On TV, billboards, magazines, newspapers, internet, libraries, gyms...we can't escape them! However, the number of companies and brands that target teens are also increasing. We are unaware of the millions that are spent by companies every year to examine our likes, dislikes e.t.c. And just when we thought they'd had enough of trying to influence vulnerable teenage minds, they take advertising a step further - advertising in schools!
Advertising in schools is just an addition to all the ads teenagers are already made to face. Like enough pressure isn't applied on us in school already, advertisements just feel like an unnecessary burden. This is why many teenagers are likely to give in to ads. Many companies spend every second of the day figuring out how us teenagers feel, respond and consume. Is this fair on us? Being surrounded by ads, even though we may not think so, restricts us from making free choices when we buy. Seeing advertisements in school just makes things worse. As a group of teenagers, we are very persuadable, and are eager to respond to what's offered to us as the best, latest, trendiest and coolest must have.
Companies and what they promise
Companies use many different techniques to persuade us to buy their products. As for companies that advertise in schools, they try and take full advantage of the fact that our fellow pupils in school have a huge impact on our thinking. Many companies make us believe that using their product will give us a higher status and popularity - which is what every teenager desires. Some ads `make our dreams come true`, while others make us feel that if we don't own a particular label, design or style, we are not acceptable. You simply gotta have it, otherwise, you're made to think you're missing out.
Ads in schools
In schools, there are unlimited ways of advertising directly to students. Here in Britain, direct advertising to students can be found on:
- Coupons, with which we are rewarded for good work. We can be given coupons for McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Domino's Pizza, which then provide us with free drinks, French fries, burgers or pizza as a reward.
- School lunch menus, which often promote and serve foods with brand names.
- School buses. Most buses have sold ad space on the sides and even on the tops of school buses. - Student organizers and other products sold in school to students.
- Soft drink and vending machines. Schools can bargain for exclusive contracts with soft drink suppliers like Coke and Pepsi.
- Commercial search engines, web sites and student newspapers.
- Educational web sites for revision and studies.
Positive factors
Some adverts in schools do have a positive side to them, even though this rarely happens. Let's take a look at a few of them:
They can give us information about goods, services or facilities which we are not aware of.
They can be entertaining and fun, as well as beautiful and witty.
Some adverts help charities to get their message across and remind us of people in need of help, compassion and prayer.
Negative factors
However, despite the few thumbs up for advertising in schools, there are more negative factors which should be taken into account:
Students may find adds distractive during studies and lessons.
Some ads promote junk food and poor eating habits, causing obesity among young people - this may be why obesity in young people is very common in Britain.
Ads can be very persuasive and can lead us to make poor choices. Some ads use `skinny` and `perfect` role models to promote a particular body image. This can make us feel too big or fat, and therefore contribute to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
Ads for particular gadgets, clothing e.t.c, can pressurize teens to take on a certain image and put pressure on parents to purchase these items.
Our say
I personally believe that, no matter how hard we try, advertising pressure does affect our choices. We prefer to buy products that are heavily marketed and goods that all our friends own, even if it is something we do not need. Amazingly, even though we know that all promises companies make to us are false, we are pressurized into buying more advertised yet expensive products. I believe that there are limits to advertising in schools. Once those limits are crossed, sponsoring and advertising in schools is unacceptable. I think the conditions under which commercial activities in schools can be accepted are:
- If they enhance student achievement.
- Enhance student nutrition.
- Don't come in the path of education in schools.
However, as you can see, these conditions are limited. I believe the following restrictions should be put in place when allowing a company to sponsor or advertise in a school:
- They shouldn't promote disorder or violence.
- Shouldn't attack ethnic, racial or religious groups.
- Shouldn't promote any religious or political organisation.
- Shouldn't promote the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, firearms, or any products that create community concerns.
- Shouldn't be obscene or pornographic.
- Shouldn't discriminate, demean, harass or ridicule any person or group on the basis of gender. Luckily, in my school, all these restrictions are put in place. I couldn't imagine my school allowing any of this to take place, and I am glad of this.
Fighting back - knowing how the ad industry works
In school, we are taught a lot about how the advertising industry works. Even though this has the slightest affect on our thinking, having the knowledge of how ad industries try to manipulate our minds, is quite interesting and helpful. It makes us aware of how the ad people see us - as just a bunch of vulnerable minds which they can scam into buying their products. We are taught that advertising industries cleverly try to mislead us into thinking that their product is unique and exceptional, when a similar product - that is unadvertised - may be on offer at a smaller price. We are also told that ads are never truthful - otherwise the products we see on T.V would not be as meaningful to us, as they are. We must evaluate product claims, but never trust the source of the claim. I am not fully satisfied with what school teaches us about advertisement and how it works. Obviously, they must be lacking somewhere if we can still be persuaded into buying marketed products.
Overall, I believe advertising and sponsoring in schools is not such a great idea. However, under certain circumstances, I don't see any harm in it. It will bring in extra money for the school, and this can contribute towards any expenses that the school management have to face. My high school generally does brilliantly in dealing with any companies that come in our direction, therefore, me and my fellow students consider ourselves extremely lucky to be a part of this school.
How does advertising affect us? How can we tackle the pressure? Shouldn't schools stay free of commercial activities?
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