| Stages / Ages of "Kids" | Products Advertised | Media often used |
Special Problems Dangers / Issues |
| 1.
Pre-School (2-6) Fanily, Parent-Focused |
Toys, Games, Candy, Snacks, Fast-Foods | TV (including PBS) |
Obesity, eating habits start, "pester power" & the gimmes |
| 2.
Early School Years (7-11) Gender-Focused |
Toys, Games, Candy, Snacks, Fast-Foods | TV (including PBS) |
Obesity, eating habits start, "pester power" & the gimmes |
| 3. Middle School Years (10-13) -- "Tweens" | Toys, Videogames, Candy, Snacks, Clothing styles, fads | TV, Channel One) Radio, MTV, Online, Neopets | Obesity, Smoking, Peer Pressure intensifies |
| 4. High
School Years (13-18) -- Teens |
Cigarettes, Clothing styles & fads, Music DVDs, Concerts, Movies, Cellphones, Electronics (iPod), IM, texting services | TV, Radio, Movies, MTV, MP3, Online, Podcasts | Smoking, Drinking, Gambling, Peer Pressure, Family Stress (e.g. limits, rules, credit, cars); Dating. |
| 5.
Post High School(18-26) "Extended adolescence" -- College students, plus the jobless and the low-wage young adults who still live at home; still dependents: often called, the"Entitlement Generation" or twixters, or boomerangs. |
Clothes, Eating Out, Cigarettes, Beer, Music DVDs, Concerts, Movies, Videogames, Cell phones, iPod, IM, texting services, Cars | TV, Radio, Movies, MTV, MP3, Online, Podcasts, PDAs | Binge Drinking. Overspending on non-basics; Overborrowing on student loans & credit cards; Online gambling; Debt Cycle starts. Family Stress (esp. about rent, shared basic expenses, house-rules, chores, curfew); courtship costs and wedding expenses; job-hunting. |