People are exposed to advertising from the moment they are born. The American Psychological Association, as noted in “Facts About Marketing,” reveals that “the average American child today is exposed to approximately 40,000 television advertisements per year.” The money spent on these advertisements, according to Susan Linn; director of the Coalition for a Commercial-Free Childhood Campaign “is estimated to be worth more than $15 billion a year” (“Marketing Facts”). Companies use this marketing strategy to “make people aware of a product” (Sukati). By placing a product in an advertisement, the company helps potential buyers become aware of what is out there and ultimately increases the popularity of their product. This rise in popularity will have “a positive impact on the financial results and image of a company” (Sukati). More and more companies are directing their marketing towards teenagers. Even if a child is not the primary consumer in a household, they have a big influence on what their parents will buy. According to “New Dream America,” “55 percent of children surveyed said they were usually successful in convincing their parents to give in [to purchasing a product].” These children will continue to be consumers well into adulthood, and the brands they now favor will most likely stay with them. An analysis of specific strategies and media effects shows that children and adolescents must learn to recognize the risks associated with this necessary marketing strategy. Businesses know that attracting teens is a key factor in keeping their business alive. After all, today's teenagers will be tomorrow's adult consumers. This trend of advertising to young people is not a relatively new concept. As noted in a 1998 article, “Ma...... middle of paper ......ics, 2006. Web January 28, 2011. “Facts About Marketing to Children.” new dream. New American Dream, nd Web. January 27, 2011. Fuller, Heidi A. and Amy M. Damico. “Keeping Pace with Adolescent Media Use: Implications and Strategies for Educators.” » Journal of Educational Research 101.6 (2008): 323-332. Premier Academic Research. EBSCO. Internet. January 19, 2011. “Marketing to Teens – Advertising Strategies.” Media awareness. Media Awareness Network, 2010. Web. January 23, 2011. “Reader responses: opinions on advertising” topic-mag. TOPICS OnlineMagazine, 2009. Web. January 23, 2011. Schrank, Jeffrey. “Document: The language of advertising claims. » The University of Mississippi. Internet. February 8, 2011.Sukati, Zindy. “What is the purpose of advertising and an overview of effective online advertising.” electronic publication articles. Online articles, January 11, 2008. Internet. January 28 2011.