Abstract

Will someone please think of the children? W.C. Fields has been notoriously associated with the warning "never to work with children and animals." And he was right! Both varieties of co-performers are guaranteed to steal the show from any adult in the general vicinity. It is generally accepted that commercials with a cute puppy and a Sarah Mclachlan soundtrack, or a baby amid famine and natural disaster is much more likely tug at heartstrings and garner cash donations than a city planner with a spreadsheet and a clip board. Consequently, the "adorable baby" cliché can be found everywhere from sitcoms to advertisements for products as diverse as healthcare, luxury brand cars, and banking securities services.