preschools are new advertising area

With nearly 4 million youngsters attending some sort of organized child care in the US the potential market is too great to pass up. Standard art supplies, blocks, trucks and dolls are being supplemented with Milton Bradley and Care Bears worksheets, Purell hand-cleaning activities, and Pizza Hut reading programs. Not to mention Oscar Mayer songs.

Paul Kurnit, president of KidShop, predicts the preschool market will grow largely because "the current generation of parents are voracious to know and learn everything to do that's right for their kids." And many parents will see this kind of program and think the school has endorsed it so the product must be good.

Susan Linn, a Harvard psychologist who co-founded the national coalition Stop Commercial Exploitation of Children said to the holland sentinel "Preschoolers are so much more susceptible to advertising because young children tend to believe everything they see. They can't distinguish easily between commercials and TV programs; they can't distinguish persuasive intent."
Besides teachers don't need corporate sponsors to show kids good hand-washing techniques: "All you need is a sink and water for kids to process good health habits. Kids love to play with soap and bubbles."

related stories: Washingtonpost: Nurturing Brand Loyalty

Dressed as pieces of bologna, ham and cheese, Maryland 3rd graders sing corporate jingle and dance in Oscar Meyer contest...for school equipment money.

MSNBC: Companies woo preschoolers

Holland Sentinel : Preschools the newest forum for advertising.