Mommy, Don't Buy Generic

How Children Recognize Brand Name Products

By
Relationship Advice Expert April Masini

Dating Tips and Advice

Q: Dear April Masini,

All these studies have recently come out claiming that children are obsessed with brands, and are apt to choose a brand name item over a non-brand name one. I'm sorry, but I just don't buy this idea. How can a child who can barely speak, recognize a particular brand?

Sincerely,

The Kids are Innocent

A:

Dear The Kids are Innocent,

Brands are simply names for different things, and so are words. Children become aware of brands at the same time they become aware of language. Kids are taught language by associating a sound with visual object. That's why children -- and especially bright children, will start associating brands with particular items at the same time that they understand other language. This can be anytime from one year old in very precocious kids to three years old.

If you don't believe me, just take a small child who watches television and has some language capacity to the market, and watch how they know the brands that they see on television -- usually candy, sweets, sugared cereal, etc. Little boys who like cars will also recognize logos of Mercedes, Ford, and Volvo the same way they will recognize other brands. Kids want what they want, and they figure out how to recognize it in order to get it.

April Masini -- nicknamed "the new millennium's Dear Abby" by the media, is author of the best-selling books Date Out Of Your League and Think & Date Like A Man, the two (just released) step-by-step dating and relationship manuals, Ideas for a Fun Date and Romantic Date Ideas, and the critically acclaimed dating and relationship online magazine www.AskApril.com.

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