4 ms·

were the ads really all that bad though? I don't remember asking for much more than video games, board games, hungry hungry hippos, McDonalds, Sunny D, etc. Ki

were the ads really all that bad though? I don't remember asking for much more than video games, board games, hungry hungry hippos, McDonalds, Sunny D, etc. Kids today get crazy ads on Instagram and are asking for Supreme shirts, Yeezus shoes, Kylie Jenner makeup kits.

standardUser 7y ago
Yes, they were that bad and were getting worse. By the late 90's, most ads directed at young children were reminiscent of a bad acid trip. Flashing lights and colors, non-stop quick-cuts and people literally screaming over and over for you, a child of 6 or 7 years, to BUY THE THING! YOU GOTTA HAVE IT! COLLECT THEM ALL! It was absolutely terrifying and we should all be collectively ashamed for allowing it to persist and to happen in the first place. Here's a random example I just found on YouTube (first 30 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXzR3-w3vEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXzR3-w3vEQ
- owlninja 7y ago
  My kids have literally zero disposable income. I'm not saying I enjoy ads or that we need more, but HN goes really over the top against advertising.
  - ceejayoz 7y ago
    > My kids have literally zero disposable income. They can ask to use yours, though, which is what most kid-targeted advertising looks to cause.
    - owlninja 7y ago
      And you just say no?
      - ceejayoz 7y ago
        Sure, you can, but most parents don't say no every time, and that means sometimes asking's going to pay off. Some of the "kidfluencer" content out there is clearly aimed at giving kids talking points to bring to their parents. Before we banned YouTube from the house a few years back, I had a couple experiences where my kids would come and give me canned marketing copy - "it's fun and educational for the whole family!" sort of nonsense - they'd clearly cribbed off a video. One specific example of this I can remember: "EvanTube". Started off cute and relatively non-commercial, but turned into very clearly paid marketing. https://www.fastcompany.com/3045807/meet-the-father-son-team-making-13-million-on-youtube https://www.fastcompany.com/3045807/meet-the-father-son-team...
  - rpedela 7y ago
    Do you want them to constantly ask for useless junk or unhealthy junk (e.g. sugary cereal)? Throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way?
- ssully 7y ago
  Ads like that suck, but I think you are pearl clutching a bit.
- whamlastxmas 7y ago
  Those don't look like ads from the 90s.
jolux 7y ago
How are those ads worse? This feels completely arbitrary.
- saghm 7y ago
  I think GP is saying that what they asked for as a kid was much more affordable
  - jolux 7y ago
    Sure? It’s still consumer capitalism?
- pastor_elm 7y ago
  they are explicit ads for fun things, not some ambiguous influencer ad that makes your kid feel bad about themselves.
  - jolux 7y ago
    …sure, the ads make them seem fun. Maybe kids these days want special clothes instead of McDonald’s and Sunny D? (those things are good for what they are but not great in any objective sense. Neither are clothes, but that’s kind of my point.) Also from experience of my younger sibling and my cousins, those ads (and things) are mostly seen and desired by teenagers, which is morally questionable in different ways.

standardUser 7y ago

Yes, they were that bad and were getting worse. By the late 90's, most ads directed at young children were reminiscent of a bad acid trip. Flashing lights and colors, non-stop quick-cuts and people literally screaming over and over for you, a child of 6 or 7 years, to BUY THE THING! YOU GOTTA HAVE IT! COLLECT THEM ALL! It was absolutely terrifying and we should all be collectively ashamed for allowing it to persist and to happen in the first place. Here's a random example I just found on YouTube (first 30 seconds): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXzR3-w3vEQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXzR3-w3vEQ

owlninja 7y ago
My kids have literally zero disposable income. I'm not saying I enjoy ads or that we need more, but HN goes really over the top against advertising.
- ceejayoz 7y ago
  > My kids have literally zero disposable income. They can ask to use yours, though, which is what most kid-targeted advertising looks to cause.
  - owlninja 7y ago
    And you just say no?
    - ceejayoz 7y ago
      Sure, you can, but most parents don't say no every time, and that means sometimes asking's going to pay off. Some of the "kidfluencer" content out there is clearly aimed at giving kids talking points to bring to their parents. Before we banned YouTube from the house a few years back, I had a couple experiences where my kids would come and give me canned marketing copy - "it's fun and educational for the whole family!" sort of nonsense - they'd clearly cribbed off a video. One specific example of this I can remember: "EvanTube". Started off cute and relatively non-commercial, but turned into very clearly paid marketing. https://www.fastcompany.com/3045807/meet-the-father-son-team-making-13-million-on-youtube https://www.fastcompany.com/3045807/meet-the-father-son-team...
- rpedela 7y ago
  Do you want them to constantly ask for useless junk or unhealthy junk (e.g. sugary cereal)? Throwing a tantrum when they don't get their way?
ssully 7y ago
Ads like that suck, but I think you are pearl clutching a bit.
whamlastxmas 7y ago
Those don't look like ads from the 90s.

jolux 7y ago

How are those ads worse? This feels completely arbitrary.

saghm 7y ago
I think GP is saying that what they asked for as a kid was much more affordable
- jolux 7y ago
  Sure? It’s still consumer capitalism?
pastor_elm 7y ago
they are explicit ads for fun things, not some ambiguous influencer ad that makes your kid feel bad about themselves.
- jolux 7y ago
  …sure, the ads make them seem fun. Maybe kids these days want special clothes instead of McDonald’s and Sunny D? (those things are good for what they are but not great in any objective sense. Neither are clothes, but that’s kind of my point.) Also from experience of my younger sibling and my cousins, those ads (and things) are mostly seen and desired by teenagers, which is morally questionable in different ways.