movies/tv Why is children's advertising nothing but toy commercials these days?

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

I've been flipping through Cartoon Network and Nick lately and I noticed that outside the occasional Happy Meal or cereal/fruit snack/Go Gurt ad, and Xfinity or car commercial for the parents. Nearly every single product advertised was for a damn toy. I know toy commercials have been a part of kids' advertising for years, but watching old Nick and CN commercial breaks, they were far from the only things advertised. I remember you could advertise Skittles on Nickelodeon, I remember Snickers commercials airing on Cartoon Network. And various other things like games, treats, music, and clothes were advertised on kids networks. And sine kids networks targeted kids up to 14, that ment a few products that appeal to teens like Soda were advertised. 

 

And not everything was dumbed down for kids either, McDonald's used to market full menu items like the Big Mac to kids as young as 8. You don't even see Pepsi or coke ads on Nick or CN anymore. What I'm trying to say is, what happened? Why are Cheetos and Kool Aid commercials airing on MTV now? Why is candy now something that can only be marketed to 12-34 year olds? Cereal commercials are now largely extinct, and except for the odd Nintendo commercial, there's hardly any video game commercials on kids networks anymore. Its like advertisers think 2-11 year olds only want toys. 

[Megas 27,787]

Wait, you mean they weren't all toy commercials back then?

[TheJLeeTeam 914]

Well they do have cereal commercials and snack commercials too. Just because they appeal to kids I guess. Sometimes some things like car insurance ads but mostly they focus on what kids like.

[Banul 3,831]

Because the toy companies pay the most, I guess.

[TheMisterManGuy 344]

Wait, you mean they weren't all toy commercials back then?

No actually, while toys were a big thing advertised, there weren't 6 damn toy commercials back to back. There were candy commercials, video game commercials, Food commercials, and for the older kids, clothing, music and movie commercials. Now turn on Nick or CN at any given time and you'll see 5-6 toy commercials in a row.

Well they do have cereal commercials and snack commercials too. Just because they appeal to kids I guess. Sometimes some things like car insurance ads but mostly they focus on what kids like.

There are still cereal ads, but not nearly as many as there used to be. And with the exception of Betty Crocker and Go Gurt, it seems all the candy and snack products like Cheetos and Pop Tarts are targeting 12 to 22 year olds now.

Edited November 1, 2014 by TheMisterManGuy

[Geek0zoid 1,468]

Because that's what sells.

[Ash Windheart 167]

Because they want kids to tell their parents: "Spend money on me!"

[Megas 27,787]

No actually, while toys were a big thing advertised, there weren't 6 damn toy commercials back to back. There were candy commercials, video game commercials, Food commercials, and for the older kids, clothing, music and movie commercials. Now turn on Nick or CN at any given time and you'll see 5-6 toy commercials in a row.

I...still see all of that stuff. I mean sure, I'll admit that there aren't as many VG commercials as there were in the past, but the rest aren't exactly absent. And as someone said, toys are usually what are gonna sell more to kids so it makes sense that there are more of those, and as I said, it's not much different in the past

Edited November 1, 2014 by Absolutely Fabulous

[ScarfaceOne 263]

I've been flipping through Cartoon Network and Nick lately and I noticed that outside the occasional Happy Meal or cereal/fruit snack/Go Gurt ad, and Xfinity or car commercial for the parents. Nearly every single product advertised was for a damn toy. I know toy commercials have been a part of kids' advertising for years, but watching old Nick and CN commercial breaks, they were far from the only things advertised. I remember you could advertise Skittles on Nickelodeon, I remember Snickers commercials airing on Cartoon Network. And various other things like games, treats, music, and clothes were advertised on kids networks. And sine kids networks targeted kids up to 14, that ment a few products that appeal to teens like Soda were advertised. 

 

And not everything was dumbed down for kids either, McDonald's used to market full menu items like the Big Mac to kids as young as 8. You don't even see Pepsi or coke ads on Nick or CN anymore. What I'm trying to say is, what happened? Why are Cheetos and Kool Aid commercials airing on MTV now? Why is candy now something that can only be marketed to 12-34 year olds? Cereal commercials are now largely extinct, and except for the odd Nintendo commercial, there's hardly any video game commercials on kids networks anymore. Its like advertisers think 2-11 year olds only want toys. 

 

Because the world is driven by frickin consumerism. And besides, Toys are more kid friendly commercials and I think the commercials actually prevent boredom. I watch them and I'm like ''This is making up for 2 minutes''. I Still see the odd Maynard's Discovery Patch or Haribo commercial on my TV. On ITV I was watching and when Sunset Overdrive or Watch Dogs would come up I would shout ''Look that's the game I'm getting!!!''. Some commercials are completely stupid and wierd. Like the Audi R8's ''Slowest car we've built'' commercial. The car was not the slowest they built and it was German Engrish. They mean't ''The car that took us the slowest time to build''. But why would you advertise a £100k sports car on television anyway? Maybe a bit more explaining will help.

Edited November 9, 2014 by 41Hornet

[EpitomeOfTruth 243]

You say that like its a bad thing.

[An Unknown Pony. 370]

Because they want Kids whom watched a show to buy show-related toys 

[Zekromic 1,054]

I've been flipping through Cartoon Network and Nick lately and I noticed that outside the occasional Happy Meal or cereal/fruit snack/Go Gurt ad, and Xfinity or car commercial for the parents. Nearly every single product advertised was for a damn toy. I know toy commercials have been a part of kids' advertising for years, but watching old Nick and CN commercial breaks, they were far from the only things advertised. I remember you could advertise Skittles on Nickelodeon, I remember Snickers commercials airing on Cartoon Network. And various other things like games, treats, music, and clothes were advertised on kids networks. And sine kids networks targeted kids up to 14, that ment a few products that appeal to teens like Soda were advertised. 

 

And not everything was dumbed down for kids either, McDonald's used to market full menu items like the Big Mac to kids as young as 8. You don't even see Pepsi or coke ads on Nick or CN anymore. What I'm trying to say is, what happened? Why are Cheetos and Kool Aid commercials airing on MTV now? Why is candy now something that can only be marketed to 12-34 year olds? Cereal commercials are now largely extinct, and except for the odd Nintendo commercial, there's hardly any video game commercials on kids networks anymore. Its like advertisers think 2-11 year olds only want toys. 

I do recall toys commercials in those channels during my childhood

[Fawkes The Phoenix 737]

Because of the money. That's it.

[Red Cedar 1,408]

Because it's less than two months before Christmas. You'll see nothing but toy ads aimed at kids between now and then. The toy manufacturers probably have these times for their campaigns locked up months, if not years in advance with the networks.

 

You'll see fewer ads for toys come January.

[Moved to Elsewhere 11,331]

This could be due to the fact that it's getting close to Christmas (though that brings up a whole new issue on Christmas starting to early). I do remember there being more variety in commercials. Like ads for snacks that were usually skits performed by kids. I don't know about commercials now since I don't watch TV that much.

[Yoshi89 5,293]

It's a big emphasis on Christmas. I saw a commercial for Target two days after Halloween. That's usually when they start.

[Light Diamond 950]

I would think it's because Christmas and the holidays are coming up, although for some reason i don't see any PS4 or Xbox One adverts on these channels except for other channels. The only ones i have seen are for 3DS games.

[ShadowPirateX 600]

Because toy commercials interests kids and toys sell.

Basically, Hasbro in a nutshell.

[ScarfaceOne 263]

You say that like its a bad thing.

 

IT IS!!! In my country. There is a massive price war between supermarkets. And Consumerism is so that they can simply corrupt the world through profit. Wal-Mart could have it's own Private Army if they wanted to. But these TV Channels are not Publicly funded so they need the commercials. I watch POP(Which is the UK channel MLP airs on BTW) and the adverts are mostly about Vanish cleaning liquid, Cillit Bang with the fictional Billy Mays like Barry Scott. And other Reckitt Benckiser products and boring adverts for run of the mill Insurance companies. On ITV there is a Quick Quid commercial and they are one of the minor companies. Back in 2006 the networks were full of these. If Reckitt is a legitimate last name. Then I wish my name was Ralph Reckitt. Like Wreck-It Ralph.