Blog 5

Children and Advertising

Advertising has continued to form a predominant feature of consumerism, in which to facilitate the demands and needs of our ever increasing consumer society. Particularly, advertising to younger audiences has primarily become the target for marketers. As Gunter, Oates & Blades (2005) state; advertising to children is increasing, and despite new marketing approaches aimed at children, such as the internet, the predominant way of advertising to children is via the television. Children are demanding consumers and therefore it is believed that their rapidly changing interests, prove the largest influence in the expansion of product consumption and product markets.  

It is for this reason that children are believed to be primary consumers themselves, who contribute and influence the consumption of products, as a result of advertising and marketing campaigns evident around them. In contrast, however, it is believed that children do not hold the role of consumer, but instead acquire their products through ‘’pester power’’ (Proctor & Richards, 2002), in which they continually pester their parents to purchase items for them. However, as children grow they increasingly become involved in decisions about purchases and soon begin to purchase products themselves using their own money (McNeal, 1992). Children’s exposure to money is increasing, therefore, it is equally believed to be the effective decision making of the children themselves that establishes their identity as a consumer. Such effective decision making, requires children having in place the necessary skills to make judgements, about different aspects of consumerism (Furnham & Gunter, 1998). Equally, the degree of freedom and independence that a child is given at home, in regards to advertisements, money and personal purchases, will be different and therefore the stages at which each children are identified as consumers will vary.  

It is evident that advertising aims to accommodate children’s interests and desires (Kenway & Bullen, 2001), however, it is these desires and influences that equally pose concerns in regards to children’s personal perceptions of themselves. Advertisements cover a vast array of subjects, which are likely to influence, capture and stimulate children to want to make purchases for a number of reasons. The impact of advertisements conveying body image, gender specific influences and inclusion, all form crucial to children’s perception of themselves and how they establish themselves within their society. As Gunter, Oates & Blades (2005) explain, product advertising places an emphasis on possessions and on aspiring to a certain lifestyle, and although advertisements cater for specific interests which essentially support the development of peer interactions, they may also pose damaging to children’s social and emotional development. Here the significant consideration and responsibility of parents is vital, in which to educate and make their children aware of the purpose behind advertisements. However, equally, it is the child’s own interpretation of these adverts that poses significant surrounding personal issues relating to identity and inclusion and this may be apparent until the child is at an age of mature understanding in which to change such interpretations.  

In light of these factors and in consideration of my own experience relating to the use of advertisements in the classroom, I believe that the teaching of advertising should form a valuable part of the primary curriculum, in which to cover a number of skills and highlight potential issues. Making children aware of the purpose and influence of advertising is extremely relevant within today’s society, however it can also form an interactive and fun focus for learning when children are given the opportunity to create their own adverts. Children will enviably make their own choices in regards to how they interpret the adverts they see, as well as how they choose to purchase products. However, exposing children to all factors surrounding advertising will prove relevant and valuable, to ensure that secure understanding is acquired to avoid such negative factors that these campaigns can portray to younger audiences.   

Furnham, A. & Gunter, B. (1998) Children as Consumers: A Psychological Analysis of the Young People’s Market. London: Routledge

Gunter, B., Oates, C & Blades, M. (1995) The issues about television advertising to Children. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

Kenway, J., & Bullen, J. (2003) Consuming children: Education-entertainment-advertising. British Educational Research Journal, 29(2), 267-276.

McNeal, J. (1992) Kids as Customers: A Handbook of Marketing to Children. New Lexington Press

Procter, J. & Richards, M. (2002), ‘’Word-of-Mouth Marketing: Beyond Pester Power’’, Young Consumers: Insights and Ideas for Responsible Marketers, 3 (3), 3-11