Reaching kids through books

An article in The Age discusses the new trend of advertising to kids through product placement in books. A Company named HarperCollins in the U.S announced that it will be publishing a series of books that are targeted at 12 year old girls with full references to specific brands that agree to sponsor them. These Mackenzie Blue books will be written by Tina Wells, the chief executive for a marketing company that teaches companies on how to sell to teenagers and pre-teenagers. 

This article is filled with quotes from different professionals that are outraged at this announcement. A women named Pam Mclntyre, who teaches literacy at the University of Melbourne stated that she "thinks it's Dreadful. It's such cynical marketing that's got nothing to do with reading or promoting reading. Its just identifying young people as a vulnerable group." Christine Andell, who is a director of  the children's bookshop the Little Bookroom wonders what type of authors would allow this type of interference. She thinks its awful that they are attacking kids through books. 

This is not the first company to be participating in this type of product placement.  Two years ago Cathy's Book which was a mystery for young adults written by Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman referenced cover girl makeup within its pages. 

I would have to agree with the professionals that are quoted in this article. Children are influenced by advertisements in almost everything they do. They turn on the TV and see an ad, drive down the street and see a billboard, or turn on the computer and receive a popup ad. I think it is going a little to far to try and influence children through literature.