Impact of Advetisement on Children

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Submitted to: Miss Asma Sheraz

Group Members:

                                  1-Haris Saeed (15L-4669)

                                  2-Hibba Nouman (15L-4654)

3-Sarmad Suhail (15L-4662)

    4-Wardah Shafique (15L-4692)

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION        3

Purpose        5

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM        6

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY        6

RESEARCH METHOD:        6

2-RESEARCH TOOL:        7

3- POPULATION:        7

4- SAMPLE        7

5-SAMPLING TECHNIQUE:        7

FINDINGS AND OBSERVATIONS        8

DISCUSSION        24

CONCLUSION        25

INTRODUCTION

        Now-a-days kids are more independent than the earlier ones. They are free to make their own decisions as compared to the kids who were born in the earlier times. Kids now have more liberty to do things that the earlier ones could not do. Of the many things, one factor is “buying”. Kids of today are more influencing. They also make their parents buy those things which they cannot get or buy on their own. By using different means such as, sale promotions, gifts and advertisements, Advertisers gain more attention of children. Children who do not understand the meaning of these advertisements get fully fascinated towards the products used in those advertisements because of the cartoons used in those advertisements. Children are always attracted towards cartoons and colorful things and advertisers know this very well. They use this technique to attract children towards their products. By an increase in the TV channels in the past few years, it has become easier for the advertisers to target their respected market. Every kid watches cartoon channels and advertisers bombard their attractive advertisements on children through these channels.

        Television is a major part of children’s lives in the Western world today. In the UK children spend an average of 2½ hours each day watching TV and 63% have their own TV set. (Livingston and Bovill, 1990).

Every child gets inspired by others and desires to be like them in every manner. They try to imitate the characters which they admire the most and try to act like one. Kids have their own fantasy world and in that world they are themselves the character from which they get inspired. From their bed sheets to their toothbrushes, from clothes to accessories, everything they possess are inspired by cartoons. If we observe the routine a child has, we can clearly see that he/she is wearing Cartoon character Pajamas in the morning when he/she wakes up; rolling out of his/her bed having a cartoon inspired bed sheet, his tooth brush and every other thing is of some cartoon character that he/she admires. Even the foods they eat are covered in attractive packaging. Putting up a cartoon character bag on his/her shoulder, he/she go to school but this advertisement does not end in school premises. In school, children are also influenced by their classmate, which comes in socialization as socialization is another factor in influencing the children to buy products. Thus parents are being persuaded by their children to buy products which they have seen in their peer groups or advertisements.

        Advertisers are targeting their respected market through cartoon channels. Different cartoon characters and premium offers are being used by advertisers to make a child buy different products.

        According to the developmental psychologists and researcher, there are three stages of cognitive development in children consisting of preoperational thoughts, concrete operational thoughts and formal operational thoughts which explains how age differences plays an important role in understanding the advertisement content. In preoperational stage which extends from two to age seven, the main focus of the children is the look of the product, while in concrete operational and formal operational thought, the children develops a more realistic approach towards understanding their world with a little difference between them.

        According to the UN estimates in 2010, approximately 35% of the population consists of children ranging from age 0-14 which shows the immense opportunity available in the market. Now-a-days attractive cartoon characters are used by every other food company and these characters get associated with the company to promote the company name. For example McDonalds uses its character “Ronald McDonald” to support the company’s name. Likewise, the character of Colonel Harland Sanders is being used by KFC to promote its brand name. Similarly, firms like Nestle, Hilal, Engro Foods etc. all have been using different endorsements to promote their brands. The campaigns ran by different firms have become popular among because of the famous characters being used - characters which are used to promote the company products.  Similarly in Pakistan, different fascinating advertisements are on-aired on TV to grab a child’s attention. For example: Ding Dong Bubblegum, Tiger Biscuit, Prince Biscuit, Omore Ice-cream, and Knorr Instant Noodles. Fascinating cartoon characters are used in the advertisement of these products to attract a child.

        Today, children are the future of a nation and the mass media has incredible effect on them. Children today have more access to media than the earlier ones. Children spend more time on watching TV and if they are attracted towards any product, they ask their parents for it.

        Advertising is playing a role in enhancing their buying decision, they choose to purchase advertised goods  whether they use that product or not, they just want it because of their favorite cartoon character being endorsed in that particular product. Children are also attracted towards a product due to its attractive packaging and they assume that the product they are buying is as healthy for them as it has been shown in the advertisement.

Advertisements are affecting a child’s buying. On the other hand, children are also influenced by their peer groups. Thus, they insist their parents to buy products according to them.

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to analyze how advertisements and peer groups capture the minds of children. How children force their parents to buy them such products. TV advertisements that use cartoon characters have an impact on children. Children persuade their parents to buy them such products. Cartoon channels provide a platform to advertisersto affect children by their advertisements. Every child gets inspired by at least one character and wants to be like it. Advertisers are using this power more because they know its strength through promotional campaigns, giveaways etc.