The debate on whether or not to market to children focuses on two opposing sides: the side that believes that marketing to children is unethical and the side that believes it's "just business". This essay aims to explain why marketing to children is unethical and should not be allowed. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One of the main reasons why marketing to children is unethical is children's increased susceptibility to manipulation due to their inability to think critically. According to an article on coursebb.com this creates the problem that children are unable to understand the hidden messages used by advertisers to convince customers to buy their product. This, linked to the child's lack of responsibility, creates the problem that the child is more likely to make impulsive decisions about the advertised product. Because the child does not understand the negative effects, he or she may pressure the parents to purchase the product, allowing for little protest from the parents. This creates a problem for parents because they often end up purchasing the product even though it is not necessary and is a waste of money. However, according to The Guardian, people who support marketing to children believe that marketing to children promotes critical thinking in children. These people believe that parents could help their children identify when a product is useless and therefore a waste of money by using these advertisements. But this wouldn't work because most parents have no interest in teaching their five-year-old, who wants a new kitchen set, to think critically because the child is too young. These people also argue that marketing is essential because marketing as a whole is a tool used to advertise products and inform potential customers about the product. Unfortunately, these companies operate in child-focused industries such as the toy industry and therefore the automatic target of their marketing is children. However, the problem with marketing in that industry begins when these companies work with other companies outside of child-focused industries to target children. An example of this is McDonald's and the Happy Meal they offer to children. McDonald's, a fast food company, partners with toy companies to offer toys along with their "Happy Meal" to convince children to purchase the meal. This adds to the growing concern for children's health because more and more children are becoming overweight and obese due to these fast foods. This type of marketing does not consider children and their needs but instead focuses on how best to make a profit, ignoring those needs of their largest demographic. Marketing to children should not be allowed because it is an unethical practice used to manipulate children. to accept the ploys put in place by companies to convince them to buy their products. The practice exploits children's immaturity and parents' eagerness to please their children, while simultaneously ignoring children's needs and prioritizing profit, even if this negatively affects their health. Please note: this is just an example. Get a card customization now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay BibliographyCoursebb.com. (2019). Ethical issues in marketing aimed at children – CorsoBBWatson, B. (2017). The complicated business of.