Made You Look
Made You Look: How Advertising Works and Why You Should Know
Shari Graydon
This is a bit older title (2003), which I read for the Teen-Adult Book Group I co-run at one of my local middle schools. I can't wait for the discussion we are going to have. This book is packed with all sorts of fascinating facts and information about advertising and American consumerism that really makes you stop and think about how we perceived the world we live in.
A few things I learned:
* Diamonds only became "traditional" engagement rings after De Beers staged a marketing campaign to convince people so.
* Children under the age of 6 do not know the difference between tv programs and ads...and they generally think everything on tv is real.
* E.T. was the first movie to use product placement (which I was a total sucker for as a kid...I still love that candy!)
* Marlboro cigarettes were originally marketed to women...the red tip to hide lipstick.
* There are regulations for ads towards children, but no one to enforce them.
I like this book because it really is written just at the right level for its target audience, with a great combination of sidebars and fun illustrations. Plus, it makes a real point of telling kids about how much power they have, which is always refreshing.