So I was watching a little TV the other day, as I’m prone to do, when I was assaulted by a commercial for GAP Kids. I’m still not sure I’ve recovered fully.

In this spot, a group of overly precious, overly accessorized and overly choreographed kids shriek unintelligibly, in unison (like cheerleaders, so cute!). I presume they are saying something along the lines of “The decline of civilization is accelerating rapidly, buy us little pants!”

Must we turn our children into little mini-fashionista versions of ourselves? What happened to kids looking like kids? And must we poison my TV set with ads that promote this sort of behavior?
Now, I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of the new GAP campaign, even the ads targeting adults, but at least those spots don’t offend me on every level.

And no, I’m not a parent either, so I don’t ‘get it’. I can’t possibly know what it’s like to have a 3 year old begging me for new pre-shrunk, pre-washed, pre-distressed jeans every time we drive within 10 miles of a shopping center.

But I am someone who works in this business. And I guess I think we can do better when it comes to kid-focused advertising. Maybe we could spend a little less time showing kids as accessories and a little more time showing kids as the messy, awkward, works-in-progress that they are.

Now, how is that going to help sell that new micro fleece zip-up hoodie, you ask? It’s probably not, and that’s kind of the point.

- TJ Bennett