The Key Information Parents Really Want from Advertisers

So, I took my son to this super cool exhibit at a nearby museum. Picture a massive ball pit, just about waist-deep for adults, with little “islands” to help you get in and out. It was a blast!

But here’s the kicker: after a few rounds of trying to haul my 41-year-old self out of that sea of colorful balls, I didn’t realize those islands were edged with hard plywood. Let’s just say my shins took quite a beating! As I slathered arnica gel on my bruises later that night, I couldn’t help but think, why wasn’t there a heads-up about the potential for injury? Sure, they warned us about the depth of the balls and reassured us that they were made from a non-pink-eye-spreading material. But what about my bruises?

It got me thinking about how many products and experiences out there fail to give us parents the real info we need. Here are some changes I’d love to see in advertising:

Bras

Can we please see bras modeled on different breast types? Breasts come in all shapes and sizes, and they change over time! Let’s see them on implants, pre-pregnancy, and post-pregnancy to know what we’re getting.

Water Parks

Instead of just showing one happy family in the lazy river, how about an aerial shot of the park packed to the brim on a scorching summer day? Give us the real picture of what we’re signing up for.

Toys

Besides age recommendations and cute photos of kids playing, it would be super helpful to know how tough it is to open those boxes—especially on a kid’s birthday morning!

TV Ratings

We appreciate the warnings for sex, violence, and language, but how about a rating for character voices? Let’s have an “Annoying Scale” that ranges from pleasant Kermit to the endless screeching of Dora. Anything rated “Caillou” should come with a disclaimer!

Food Dyes

Sure, we want to know about the chemicals in our food, but I also need to know how much that Go-Gurt is going to stain and how to get it out of clothes.

Detergents

We need labels like, “That Go-Gurt stain? Good luck with that!”

Cars

Safety ratings should include how easy it is to install a car seat. Can you do it in a hot rental car lot without swearing like a sailor?

Movies

Theaters should tell us the ticket prices and the temperature inside so we can prepare accordingly, especially for those chilly A/C blasts.

Video Games

Age ratings are great, but we also need to know how addictive these games are and how hard it will be to drag the kids away for dinner.

TV News

It would be nice if local news programs warned us about when the scary segments are airing. I don’t want my kids watching a Murder and Mayhem Report right before bedtime!

Medications

Drug companies are great at warning us about eating beforehand, but they often forget to mention how disgusting the medicine tastes or how much bribery will be needed to get the kids to take it.

Tech Devices

All we really care about is battery life—how long can it keep the kids entertained?

This post originally appeared on August 22, 2015, but these insights remain relevant. If you’re thinking about starting a family, check out some helpful resources like this guide on infertility or learn more about home insemination options from Cryobaby’s at-home kits. And for more tips on becoming a parent, don’t forget to explore our other blog post on home insemination.

In summary, it’s all about getting the right info so parents can make informed choices—because we deserve to know what we’re really getting into!