(UK) Riots panel to call for curb on youth-targeted brand adverts

[alp227]

An inquiry ordered by the prime minister into last summer's riots will demand action against aggressive advertising aimed at young people, citing evidence that rampant materialism was an underlying cause of last year's lawlessness.

The Riots, Communities and Victims Panel, set up by David Cameron and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg in the wake of the riots, will highlight the role of big business in creating a damaging consumerist culture in some of the most deprived parts of the country.

The violence last August was characterised by the looting of stores including Foot Locker, JJD Sports, Orange, O2 and Adidas. When it publishes its final report, the panel is expected to offer recommendations to limit the impact of advertising on the young and vulnerable.

That problem is one of four underlying causes the panel will highlight, along with lack of economic opportunities, a breakdown in community ties and a loss of trust in the police and public sector.

full: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/mar/25/riots-panel-wants-adverts-curb

[Canuckistanian]

1. There's something to this

The "Chav" subculture seems to be a growing problem.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chav

Chavs have been noted to often don designer sportswear.[11] Brands such as Adidas,[11] Burberry,[11] Puma,[12] Umbro,[12] Ecko,[12] Carbrini and Kappa[11] are very popular, with many chavs often wearing a full tracksuit or tracksuit bottoms, with a hoodie or polyester jacket, baseball cap and oversized trainers. Clothing attire is usually navy, white, black, red or grey for the chav male, and pink and white are very common with the "chavette", particularly jogging bottoms, velour tracksuits or shell suits. Stereotypical attire might be accompanied by some form of bling, such as oversized gold hoop earrings and necklaces, bracelets and rings, and an abundance of tattoos.[citation needed]

Several stereotypical traits are associated with chavs; smoking, drinking and taking drugs in gangs on street corners and outside shops, petty thievery and violence,[13][page needed] vandalism and graffiti, an exaggerated "tough" gangster-like voice and lingo and foul, aggressive language (with common expressions such as "Am I bovvered" or "Warru on about&quot , council house/flat accommodation, unemployment and state benefits scrounging (and despite this still appearing to have money for show),[13][page needed] teenage girls being sexually promiscuous and smoking whilst pregnant,[14] driving a highly modified and chromed up Vauxhall Nova (in particular), Vauxhall Cavalier,[15] Ford Sierra, Ford Escort[16] or Austin Metro, usually souped up with alloys, stickers, oversized spoiler, side panels, exhaust pipe and engine,[17] painted white or in some flamboyant colour, enhanced speakers blasting hip-hop, R&B, garage,[18] drum and bass or rave/jungle music,[19] and chewing whilst being spoken to. Stereotypical chavs tend to sport skinheads,[14] or very short hair with short back and sides and fringe, usually gelled down.[citation needed] In northern British cities such as Manchester, it is fashionable for some chavs to sport longer hair and sides in the Mod fashion.[citation needed] "Chavettes" stereotypically wear their hair tightly scraped back into a ponytail or bun, known as the "Council house face lift".[19][20]