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CURRENT ISSUES IN MARKETINGName:Grade Course:Tutor`s Name:(2 March 2011) Current Issues in MarketingOne of the interesting recent issues in advertisement to children is the development of a ‘tween` market. The ages of children considered to be in this market range between 8 years and 12 years. These are neither little children nor teenagers. It is in this age bracket that children begin to have a sense of identity and self-image. Marketers have realized that by treating children falling in this age bracket like teenagers, they are likely to sell more products (Parsons, & Maclaran, 2009). From this realization, the marketing industry has come up with a strategy that is influencing the tweens to grow rapidly. Children, especially those above 11 years do not think of themselves as kids anymore. In order to sell more of their products, companies that manufacture and market toy products have changed their target market (Smeds, & Kaila, 1989; Kurtz, 2009). All along, they targeted children from birth up to 14 years of age. Today they target those children from birth to 10 years. Marketers have effectively distant parents of these children from the picture by treating tweens as mature and independent consumers (Media Awareness Network, 2010). Thus, they have successfully passed massages about body image, relationships and sexuality to children. Companies understand that tweens have insecurities ands self doubts thus they capitalize in these and make the children believe that they must buy their products in order to be cool. Marketers have influenced the mind of tweens such that they can contin...
