Also note the girls-as-using-their-looks-and-friendliness-to-manipulate and boys-as-using-money-to-get-what-they-want themes:
Thanks to our reader, Laura L!
Also in the sexualization of kids: the Miley Cyrus scandal ‘n stuff and modeling, tramp stamps, and stripper poles for kids.
Comments 2
pangel — May 5, 2008
I don't see what's wrong with this ad. There is no physical sexualization, only the replay by children of a seduction cliché that indeed happens when they want to imitate the behaviour of adults.
Also, what is usually disturbing when a child is sexualized is "who is the intended audience?". When a child is depicted in a suggesting situation on a media support that's intended for adults, one might wonder on which of the consumer's instincts the marketing team bases its strategy.
Here, all I see is a recreation of a typical adult seduction scene. It features these blatant stereotypes because these are the stereotypes of adulthood and children draw on these when they imitate adults. I think it raises far less problems than when the same stereotypes are encouraged in an ad addressed to adults.
Sociological Images » a little bling changes everything — May 6, 2008
[...] remind me of this Dairy Queen commercial we recently [...]