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What can parents do?

Aside from limiting your kids' exposure to advertising — a feat that can seem impossible — talking to kids about what sorts of marketing they're subjected to is a crucial step in countering advertising's influence. Web sites like PBS can be used to show kids some of the tricks behind making ads look good.

Educate yourself first. The Center for Media Literacy has a list of articles such as "How TV Works" and "Idols in the Marketplace" that can teach you before you talk to your children about some of the deceptive ways of advertising.

How young is too young?

In 1983, companies spent $100 million marketing to kids. Today, they're spending nearly $17 billion annually. That's more than double what it was in 1992.

Marketing firms and advertisers are looking to a younger demographic, increasingly targeting tweens and even younger children. And these kids have huge control over the flow of parents' spending, statistics show — 8- to 12-year-olds spend $30 billion of their own money each year and influence another $150 billion of their parents' spending.

The youth market—comprised of children ages six through 18—is large and powerful. Statistics show that 8- to 12-year-olds spend $30 billion of their own money each year and influence another $150 billion of their parents’ spending. Additionally, more and more marketers are realizing the value in reaching out to younger audiences: Companies today spend upward of $17 billion annually on marketing to kids, compared to $100 million spent in 1983.

age 11. The Philadelphia mom is among a growing number of parents who are learning more about consumer technology...from their kids. “Generally, she points things out in a store,” Brown said. Today, Sarah Charlotte has her head buried in a pink Nintendo DS, playing a game called Club Penguin. “It’s a little nerve-wracking since it includes chatting, but I monitor it fairly closely and it seems pretty benign,” Brown said.

Sarah Charlotte’s a typical tween. Not only is she interested in more sophisticated entertainment devices than the generations before her, but she knows how to use a computer, search the Internet, and she thinks most music comes from a little thing called the iPod. Her mother says most of her peers are exactly the same when it comes to being tech savvy. “There’s definitely pressure from the other kids as to what’s hot,” Brown said. “Being on top of the latest electronics is a big part of that.”

A brand is trying to reach them or cultivate their loyalty as they grow, 

 Habits of 8-12-Year-Olds,” a report by market research firm Euromonitor International, tween spending worldwide is higher than ever, at an estimated $170 billion. Not only do tweens have more access to income but they also have the greater influence on family purchasing decisions. For many CE dealers, treating tweens as high-priority customers could translate to lucrative business...