Hey Kids, Here Comes the Pitch

As a follow-up to this post I refer you to this article in the June 28, 2004 issue of Time magazine (p. 52 of the print version) in which video games, online games, web sites and products that market and advertise to kids are profiled.

One of the online games profiled is Neopets. According to the article, kids have the opportunity to "purchase" brand name products (such as Oreo cookies, Nestlé SweeTarts and Laffy Taffy candy) with points in order to feed their online pets. Kids can also win points by watching ads and movie trailers.

The article goes on to cite that kid's marketing is a $15 billion business that is targeting the "$40 billion in pocket money that they [children under 13] spend on purchases from candy to clothes..."