Advertising to Children

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that, instead of viewing children as young individuals who need to be nurtured, advertisers are using children as mere tools to get at their parents' wallets. The author points out that a key focus of the advertising world is to make the child brand loyal at a young age. The paper reports that psychologists advise companies to get children to pester their parents into buying the product through "child-aimed advertising". The author relates that advertisers use sex tactics to make children, especially girls, think that by buying their products they will be "grown up". The paper stresses that, just as countries around the world have adopted policies protecting children from the effects of advertising, the U.S.must do the same. The paper has an annotated bibliography.

Table of Contents:
Influence through the Ages
The Advertisers and Their Focus
The Range of Media
Advertising around the World
Suggestions for a Child Advertising Free Future

From the Paper:

"Advertisers benefit from the fact that children have not formed many memories at such a young age. Advertisers then pursue the child for a spot in their heads that can last for years to come. "The great thing about them is that their memory banks are relatively empty so any message that goes in gets retained." When advertising to children, companies go out of their way to ensure that their "target audience" is being sought out, reached and then compliant to the company's urges for the child to purchase the product."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Clay, Rebecca (2000) 'Advertising to Children: Is it Ethical?' Monitor on Psychology, 8 September 2000, Vol. 31 No 8.
• Comiteau, Jennifer (2003) 'First impressions' Adweek, New York, 24 March 2003,Vol 44 Issue 12 pg(s) 26-27, Academic Research Library.
• Day, Sherri (2003) 'The Potatoes were Smiling; the Fries were Blue' New York Times, New York, 13 March 2003, Edition: Late edition (East Coast) pg(s) C1-C3, Academic Research Library.
• Detwiler, John. Telephone interview. 29 October 2007.
• Fox, Roy (1995) 'Manipulated kids: teens tell how ads influence them' educational Leadership Vol. 53 No.1.

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