Kern-Rugile:Marketing to kids is excessive

One of my favorite childhood memories was waiting for the night when my father would bring home the Sears Wish Book. From the time I was about 5 years old, I'd spend hours perusing the gigantic catalog, pretending I'd won a contest entitling me to choose an item from each page. Red marker in hand, I'd circle the doll, game -- even the fruitcake -- I'd select as my winnings.

Although my actual Christmas bounty was far more modest, I'll never forget the joy of opening my gifts (which, thankfully, never included fruitcake).

Every generation remembers its youth as more grateful and less materialistic than today's. "When we were kids, we were happy with what we got; we were grateful for a new pair of jeans; we didn't get half the amount of stuff kids get today." Yada, yada, yada.

Let's be honest: Getting new stuff is fun. We enjoyed it when we were young, no less than kids do now. And we still like it as grown-ups -- though most of us wouldn't pepper-spray someone to get a better deal at Walmart.

But there are some distinct and disturbing differences in today's world. Advertising to everyone, but particularly to children, has become far more pervasive. Josh Golin, associate director of the Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood, a nonprofit advocacy group in Boston, cites a study showing that companies spend about $17 billion each year marketing to children, an astounding jump from the $100 million spent in 1983, even after that is inflation-adjusted to $227 million in today's dollars.

The result? "There's no question that advertising has created children who are more materialistic," says Golin. "It's not surprising when they're being bombarded with messages that products will make them cool and happy, and that the more they acquire the happier they'll be."

Dana Friedman, president of the Early Years Institute in Plainview, places part of the blame for this onslaught of kid-focused marketing on government deregulation in the 1980s. Before that, "corporations were limited in terms of the amount and type of advertising to young people. But when the rules were eliminated, it gave them unfettered access to marketing their wares to our children," she says.

In addition, Congress removed much of the Federal Trade Commission's rule-making authority in this area, which hamstrung the agency's efforts to protect kids from the marketing juggernaut.

That's particularly bad news in light of the multitude of media that marketers now have at their disposal. Youngsters are encouraged to become rabid consumers not only through TV, but also the Internet, cellphones and other technologies. Brightly lit screens blast messages in restaurants, gas stations, even some schools. It's a virtual 24/7 world of buy, buy, baby, with marketers taking aim from day one.

Companies have gotten very sophisticated (or, better said, insidious) in their efforts to instill brand loyalty in children as young as 6 months old. "Young children want the SpongeBob backpack, sheets and Mac and Cheese," says Friedman. "They're being taught from a very early age to define themselves by what brands they have instead of who they are."

Yes, Virginia, there is a "hot" demographic of 0 to 3 year olds.

The impact of this increased materialism isn't immaterial. According to Golin, kids who are exposed to high levels of advertising have higher rates of depression and anxiety, along with lower self-esteem.

While we can't completely eliminate our children's exposure to the media machine, we can, and should, limit it dramatically. This time of year presents a particularly good opportunity to focus on family traditions: making crafts, baking, playing board games, volunteering. Just because we're living in a material world doesn't mean we have to buy into it with such abandon.

Jenna Kern-Rugile lives in East Northport.