What do a busy branch of McDonald's in the centre of Amsterdam, a multiplex cinema in downtown Los Angeles, the latest chlamydia leaflet from the Department of Health and Transforming Youth Work all have in common? I admit it's not obvious. So here's the link. They all use the same piece of photographic clip art featuring a group of four shiny, happy teenagers to promote their products and services.
How do I know? I've seen it for myself. Over and over again. Splashed on recruitment adverts, restaurant walls and official policy documents. In what must be one of the most depressing examples of the increasing globalisation and commercialisation of youth culture, we've now got brands as diverse as the UK government and McDonald's using exactly the same generic image of young people to sell everything from chicken sandwiches to safer sex. Clearly, using "real" images of young people has become far too problematic for these organisations. Not to mention expensive. Increasing concerns about safeguarding children and data protection rules mean it's now far easier to download a professionally produced image of young people and simply use a credit card to purchase the copyright.
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