Hailed as the follow-up to No Logo, Alissa Quart's new book Branded takes an in-depth look into the lucrative teen marketing sector.
Quart acknowledges in Branded that buying and selling to identity-conscious teenagers is nothing new; young consumers with a disposable income have been prime targets for marketing since the 1940s.
However, what the book vividly unveils is the new "tweenager" phenomenon; the pre-teens eager to emulate their older peers, who have become the next golden slice in the market.
Considering that "the average 10-year-old has memorised from 300 to 400 brands", it's hardly surprising that marketers are spending billions to tap this valuable source.
Quart's highly readable book uncovers the rise of peer-to-peer marketing among young people. The book details how marketers go to extreme lengths to monitor teen trends through forming "friendships" with young insiders who can reveal the latest merchandise trends.
These unpaid "trend setters" demonstrate how brands can gain the cutting edge through the recommendations of 14-year-olds.
The teens reveal that direct marketing is a popular and powerful tool and that their reaction to advertising has become increasingly sophisticated.
Similarly, Branded looks at the case of Ogilvy & Mather, which used surveillance-style video cameras in homes to monitor teen product choices and behaviour.
Quart details the onset of American-style school sponsorship in Britain and its comparative success. Among a range of examples, the investigation focuses on Walker's Crisps' 'Free books for schools' promotion, which led to Walker's topping a brand-recognition ChildWise survey.
The book also explores the gradual diffusion of brands into school textbooks and exam papers, enabling children to become accustomed to branding in all areas of their lives.
Branded's core conclusions come as no real surprise. However, what is striking is the speed at which brands have become so ubiquitous in the lives of children.
There has been a backlash against the ubiquity, but the anti-branding campaigns in schools and tougher advertising legislation appear as weak opposition in the face of the flourishing teen marketing sector.
And to marketers and those who control the brands, the sector is a precious one - the book notes how it was one of the few which has remained steady in the face of a steep economic downturn.
As the book asserts, when 94 per cent of British teens can instantly name a footwear brand off the top of their heads, brand backlash is a relatively ineffectual weapon against the billions creatively plugged into teen marketing.
The strength of Branded lies in its pertinent case studies and original insight on an exisiting theme.
The proliferation of brand-name culture among young teens simply makes for a compelling analysis.
Branded convincingly demonstrates that children are no longer viewed as simply the consumers of the future - they are the receptive and solidly profitable consumers of today.
Sylvia Westall is a former intern at Brand Republic. She is presently studying at Oxford University. This book review on 'Branded' was first published on Brand Republic's website at www.brandrepublic.com.