Troubled Teens Resources

Teen crisis intervention will be necessary as long as teens are considered marketing targets for both drug dealers and Madison Avenue.

We’ve posted before on the devious ingenuity drug dealers have recently exhibited by marketing their drugs to pre teens and elementary school kids. A post at Shaping Youth rightfully points out the same strategies at play in mainstream advertising, the purposeful targeting of youth.

“What started as Sacramento news and spread from west to midwest…is now being internet e-blasted to parents with truthful school warnings and news videos that drug dealers are targeting teens with strawberry and cola flavored methamphetamine to “hook ‘em early” on illegal drugs. (old news from awhile back gone viral, actually)
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Granted, the fruity cocaine scene hit the Hollywood tabloids prior.. BUT the Madison Avenue meets urban lowlife element adds a nefarious element. When age compression marketing tactics and junk food appeal are used to target kids for addiction, the branding trend toward tweens and teens is one to watch. Sound familiar? It should. Corporate giants spend mega-millions on advertising to seed a similar strategy.

Alcopops. Pink cigarettes. Jolt-n-crash energy drinks. Caffeine shots. Candy-flavored meth? The end goal is the same, whether it’s nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, or methamphetamine…the marketer’s aim is to hook ‘em on a habit while kids’ bodies are most susceptible.”

Both drug dealers and corporate America have only the bottom line in mind. One doesn’t expect drug dealers to care about kids but one would be equally unwise to imagine America’s corporation any longer feel any responsibility, no matter what public front they put on it.