Resonance

I would like to start off by thanking the Swedes. Not only did they design, create, and manufacture the lovely car that I drive. ('87 Saab 900S) But they also have a plethora of seemingly bizarre, yet amazingly brilliant ideas for laws. I recently discovered that there is a law forbidding Advertising aimed at children! I know, many people think to themselves "Not only is that dumb, but it must be damn near impossible!", but this is not so. Take this one for an example; next time you walk into a McDonald's, look for their advertisements for the toys they distribute in their "Happy-Meals". It's four-feet high. For the average person of my height, we don't even notice it. It's right under the radar. But for a child who is of the age to be titilated by the plastic crap they sell, it's the perfect size. Bright coulours, cheesy characters, and above all...it's right in their face!
Go to Sweden, however, and you'll never find anything like this. I'm not exactly sure what the age limit is on the advertising...but it certainly bans anything aimed at toddlers and younger children of the vulnerable age when toys are still the main source of amusement. So when I walked home today after school, with the ideas of this post running through my head...I looked around and found myself overwhelmed with the amount of advertising that is actually out there. We tend to ignore it or think nothing of it most of the time...but when you tune in and actually pay attention to it, it can be an eye-(and in some cases, ear-) opener. Billboards, posters, flyers, signs that make up the back of a bus-stop bench, radio ads, Television commercials...it's EVERYWHERE! The only form of advertisement I actually like is Billboards, but thats only because they're a challenge to get onto, and even trickier to paint. (This is called "Graffiti-Dreams" for a reason.) Advertising is made to get into your head and make you buy or keep you attention for as long as it can. Be it a stupid jingle or a nifty symbol, these things are doctored to appeal to you.
Advertising to teens or adults is fine...there's nothing wrong with letting people know about your product. But when you're advertising to children at the age of 6, and filling their mind with the consumerism that seems to be key to our society...that is disgusting in my opinion. Everytime a child sees a McDonald's Commercial, God (if there is such a being) kills another sliver of imagination. (No kittens, that's reserved for other things.) So please, think of their imaginations!

(C) 2006 Sean Slater (Thanks Maroney!) All Rights Reserved, All Wrongs Justified