Reaching Children Online? Don’t Forget the Parents.

Marketing to children is a growing part of emerging media strategies. Young children—once an illusive audience for marketers—are becoming regular targets through online games and entertainment. Gone are the days when brands could only reach young children through cereal boxes and Saturday morning commercials. Now they lead them to websites to watch videos and play games with all kinds of brand impressions. The rapid rate of children’s marketing warrants a look at the ethical components of these tactics. Online games, no matter how ethical the content, may contribute to sedentary behavior amongst a growing population of obese children. Some marketers…