Growing Up Online or The Internet is Serious Business

The internet, one of the greatest tools at our our disposal, is serious business. However, when it ends up in the hands of the nations youth, bad things can and often do happen. Most of this has occurred with the dawn of social networks such as facebook, or myspace. These offer young adults access to a new level of selective anonymity. They do things they normally wouldn't do, act in a manner they normally wouldn't act, and make generally more irresponsible decisions because they believe that just because this all takes place on the computer they're safe.

Kids may use it as an escape from authority, where they can make their own decisions. But this is exactly the stage where outside forces can influence them. Advertising agencies are disguising their propaganda through targeted advertisement based on interests documented on facebook or product-heavy games. The first notable appearance of these games I can remember is candystand.com. It consisted of dozens of flash-based games all covered in sponsorship such as life-savers or other candies.
This is only the beginning as we see major players jump into the "advergaming" business with companies such as Disney with their own Massively Multiplayer Online Games such as "Toontown Online" or "Pirates of the Carribean Online".

So now, while the youth adventure into the internet looking for independence, advertising is keeping one step ahead to capitalize the youthful inexperience.

The Art of Persuasion

In today's market-driven society, it becomes very easy to lose any sense of foresight and caught up in the moment if you're not being objective. The art of "the sale" has reached critical mass in American culture as corporations are taking up more and more space. For example, in sports media, broadcasters can't even fit room for another sponsorship: We've already fitted the stadiums with as many billboards as possible, and rather than be satisfied with commercials, we're seeing sponsorships of the halftime show or even something as inane as the call to the bullpen. It wasn't long ago that the Major League Baseball tried slapping sponsorships on their BASES because it could be used as advertising space (link).

Do we as Americans suffer some sort of susceptibility to these marketing strategies? In short, yes. While no consumer is a blank slate that mindlessly purchases whatever they're told to, marketing firms employ strategies that no longer sell a product. Because, generally, trying to sell a product almost NEVER works. So instead we are sold an experience, a status, or a community. For example, the success of Apple computers has nothing to do with the quality of the hardware being better, but rather, the image it fosters. Apple fans are notorious for being very clique-like as part of a vain hipster movement that believe it's countering the "suit-and-tie" culture of windows (as portrayed by none other than Apple themselves). So the point of the marketing here is selling counter-culture, and the community it fosters.

It's become increasingly difficult to ignore the ever-reaching arm of advertising in society. The only option for those who want to move with self-awareness is to stand aloof from any sales pitch they see. At the end of the day, if there's some product or sponsorship attached to it, cast it aside and purchase whatever you'd like.

Presenting....The Cool

In today's society, marketing to teens has become a mutant game of keeping up with the Joneses. There's always something out there that marketing crews are eager to find, use dry, then kill as a means to profit. It's a despicable practice because it preys on the impressionable youth and manipulates them for a quick buck. Not only that, but it stifles any good chance for them to develop an interesting culture of their own as it is constantly creating and destroying trends. And it's really necessary to do so. In order to make any profit, the market needs to be in flux.

And today's it's gotten even worse because marketing media is so eager to get ahead of the curve, they have practically skipped the target audience and have begun dictating to the general audience what they're supposed to like. It's become a painful cycle that shows no signs of slowing down.