[yankeedame]

...But there is a deeper significance to this. When the father does remonstrate against the high prices, he is not persuaded, nor reasoned with. The little girl goes right for th jugular. "I WANNA HOT DOG!!!"....

Two words: Time constraint.

This is, first and foremost, a radio ad. Billed by the second, ad cost money; therefore, it needs to be brief, to the point, "familiar" (who hasn't dealt with a bratty kid?), and memorable.

IOW, there isn't time in the ad. Let us not attribute a social malaise to what is, in fact, an economic creation/decision from a company simply trying to make a buck.

[grey_whiskers]

Two more words:

Target Market.

It has to be familiar to the target market, hence representative of the society.

There's no time in the commercial, but why did they choose *that* example? You don't see ads with strong, respected, competent fathers, either, because that's not what the mass culture is allowed to value anymore.

In another connection check out this banned Volkswagen commercial from YouTube.

Cheers!