Relationships and Sugar Smacks

I recently heard an opinion editorial on National Public Radio discussing children's cereals, and how some of them have as much sugar per cup as a Hostess Twinkie. To say I was shocked is an understatement. The piece went on to discuss how the marketing of these foods directly to children is ethically reprehensible, and how the Big Food lobby has shut down any attempt to reduce the amount of advertising, or sugar, they are going to launch at kids.

As a parent in the field of marketing, I challenge my children to question the promises advertised on TV. Is that bowl of cereal really going to make ponies appear? Do you really think those Air Jordans are going to make you dunk like a basketball player who retired long before you were born?

Lifting my heart a bit, and giving me hope that kids are becoming savvy to advertising, was this post on collegehumor.com where a little girl is demanding answers to why things are marketed to children (especially girls) in the manner they are.

At Incite, we believe in relationship driven marketing. In relationship driven marketing, there is an inherent code of ethics. Relationships are, by definition, "a connection, association, or involvement; an emotional or other connection between people" (dictionary.com). In order to foster lasting relationships of any kind, there must be trust and respect.

The more I watch, read, and hear about marketing to children, the more I wish there was a more global understanding that by fostering strong relationships with your clientele, you won't have to worry about your bottom line! When your consumers trust you, they come back, and refer others to you, your product, or service. Why do they trust you? Because you listen to what they need and want, and you do your very best to provide that. Because you communicate clearly and because you care about those you have a relationship with.

As both a parent, and a communicator, I'd like to see more children thinking about how products are marketed to them. The mass media market is literally feeding junk to our kids, who are innocent to the art of persuasion. This further persuades me that Incite's relationship approach, which leverages referrals as the strongest form of advertising, is not only based on trust, but has a code of ethics that could and should be modeled by others.