“The average young person views more than 3000 ads per day on television (TV), on the Internet, on billboards, and in magazines.” (Quart, The Buying and Selling of Teenagers, 2003) “….as of the year 2000 there were more than 27 million adults between the ages of 18 and 24.” (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000)

“…advertising is a $250 billion/year industry with brands to sell.” (Linn, Consuming Kids, 2010) “Teenagers spend $155 billion/year, children younger than 12 years spend another $25 billion, and both groups influence perhaps another $200 billion of their parents' spending per year. “ (Linn, Consuming Kids, 2010)

ᵠ Being accepted by others ᵠ Having membership in an elite group ᵠ Self-acceptance ᵠ Security ᵠ Family ᵠ Change ᵠ Excitement ᵠ attract sex ᵠ be sexy ᵠ and/or have sex

ᵠ fear of death / aging / sickness ᵠ fear of failure ᵠ fear of poverty ᵠ fear of violence ᵠ fear of bodily embarrassments ᵠ fear of sexual failure ᵠ fear of failing to provide ᵠ fear of aging / sickness

ᵠ wealth / luxury ᵠ fame / prestige ᵠ happiness ᵠ success ᵠ youthfulness / health ᵠ excitement / adventure / risk ᵠ patriotism ᵠ independence / individuality / non-conformity ᵠ love / romance / sex

:“…As a process whereby progressively fewer individuals or organizations control increasing shares of the mass media.” -(Rowland, Mass communications: a comparative introduction) “ The entertainment industry – television, motion picture companies, music – has put $283.5 million into federal elections since 1990; in just the past three years ( ) the industry has spent roughly that much again on lobbying.” (Hodge, Kress. Social Semiotics, 2011)