This Is How Marketing Works on Kids, and It’s Devastating

My two boys are naturally attracted to the bright and shiny stuff that is tossed at them every day via marketing. I’d heard about big-box retailers positioning things exactly at their angle, for example, but it wasn’t until I saw them reach for those very products, items that I hadn’t even noticed, that it hit me: This stuff is powerful, it’s calculated, and it can be overwhelming.

So when I saw this ad featuring adorable British children describing these colorful boxes, I wondered what on earth could be captivating them so much.

To be honest, it shocked me when I realized what they were handling: cigarette boxes.

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