AD NEWS

BABIES AS TARGET AUDIENCE
http://www.adweek.com/news/advertising-branding/next-great-american-consumer-135207

Newly born babies have become a target market to many different brands. This article from adweek.com points out how advertising agencies are creating brand loyalty to products by attacking newborns with licensed characters on pretty much everything they can possibly see. Also, technological advancements are being made so that a baby can also use a tablet or phone. Our culture, has definitely shifted to a more technological universe, however, marketing products to babies seems a bit unethical. Babies' brains are being over stimulated to pictures of characters on from the food they eat to games they play. Also, clothing brands like Versace, Fendi, and Marc Jacobs are releasing clothing lines for babies. This is all in hopes that they create a brand loyalty with that brand from the minute they emerged into the world.

1.) Ethically speaking, do you think this is a problem and maybe there should be limitations to how much branding a baby can be exposed to? Think about their health and development.

2.) What kind of generation will these babies become...consumer driven, brand loyal? Will they care too much about brands once they are older?

3.) Do parents have an obligation to try to prevent their children to such exposer of brands. Should parents be buying their toddlers Ipads for instance?

WENDY'S "WHERE'S THE BEEF?"

http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/wendys-again-asking-wheres-beef-135230

Wendy's is reintroducing their ad campaign that they had in the 1980's of asking the question , "where's the beef?" and featuring a large patty burger with thick beef. Some people find this contradictor and a bad idea since our society is becoming health consciousness. Consumers now count calories and put that into consideration when purchasing food. Wendy's however, is trying to emphasize on freshness instead of size with this particular ad.

1.) Do you think this is effective advertising since we have become a society that is health conscious?

2.) To me, this seems contradictory on Wendy's behalf because I feel their latest commercials are about how natural their fries are and set a tone for healthy and fresh food. Do you think this tag line "Where's the beef?" evokes that freshness or something completely different?

3.) Will an ad like this change their target audience or bring in a new one?