Writing on Strollerbaby, Rebecca Odes has an insightful take on the proliferation of brands selling products to young girls that are designed to make them look, well, less young. From padded bras to booty firming shoes, it would seem marketers are intent on turning 12 year olds into sexed up models.
Odes calls attention to a recent campaign from Skechers that promotes the brand’s Shape Up sneakers for girls which, much like Reebok’s ReTone sneakers, are designed to tone the thighs and butts of little girls.
And while Skechers says the campaign’s message is “the same messaging as Michelle Obama’s Get Moving campaign,” Odes wonders why little boys don’t need their thighs and butts toned as well.
We’ve written about this topic ad naseum wondering about the wisdom of marketers attempting to turn young girls into stripper-esque tweens and the industry’s notion that using sex to sell is is a worthy business strategy.
What’s the solution? It’s simple. While sex and the use of it as a means of convincing someone to do something will never go away, marketers could very easily simply cease making sexualized products for children and stop glorifying and glamorizing a sexed up lifestyle to those under the age of 18.
And, yes, it’s not entirely a marketing issue. We get that. But each responsible party has to do their part. Twelve year olds don’t need push up bra. Pretty Little Liars doesn’t have to glamorize deceit and amp up sex to teens. And MTV’s Skins doesn’t have to portray a world in which sex drugs and rock and roll are the norm versus homework, school sports and a little bit of self-respect.
This opinion coming from Adrants, you ask? Absolutely. But don’t get us wrong. Sex is great. We love sex. We love sex-laced advertising. And we have no problem with marketers who use it to move product. We do, however, have a problem with marketers and the rest of society who pray on the not yet fully developed minds of children by using adult concepts to sell things to children. It’s shameful and it’s wrong.
