Influence of Advertising on Kids, Positive and Negative Effects

Television is the dominant medium for everyone. Children also have inclination towards television. Advertising companies knows well that earlier the kids learn about brand, the more likely they will buy the product. They watch commercials on television carefully and entail them. Advertisers spend a huge amount of money per year making sure their products get maximum exposure and capture attention. Companies first take insights of behavior and preferences in children and then create products.

Influence of Advertising on Kids:

Advertising can have negative and positive effects on children based on the quality, content and presentation.

Positive Effects

Check out some of the positive effects of advertising on children:

• Advertisement can be the source of information. There are certain advertisements such as public announcements offer a good learning opportunity to the child. They also help children to know about the new products in market.
• Healthy food choices when advertised in the correct way prompt children to opt for eating balanced diet.
• Advertisement for hygiene products can inculcate good habits in children.
• Some advertisements have motivating content that help child in developing a passion and work towards it from the early age
• The advertisements presenting children of the same age engaging in activities such as providing help in the house or saving electricity influence children in a positive way.
• Content connected to social change help promoting the sense of duty or empathy towards community.
• Advertisements based on environment protection also encourage children to look for a solution towards the problem.
• Cautionary advertisements revealing the results of alcohol and smoking help children to understand the health risk and motivate them to keep a distance from such products.

Negative Effects

Check out some of the adverse effects of advertising on children:

• Persuasion to buy a specific product becomes a real problem at times. Advertisers follow marketing strategies and target children, if parents have stubborn child with them then they have to buy the specific product.
• Sometimes, intentionally advertiser’s message may be interpreted in the wrong way and children focus on negative rather than positive.
• It has been noticed that certain advertisements portray a dangerous stunt. Though, such advertisements come with a statutory warning but children try to imitate and attempt those stunts.
• Every manufacturer wants a progress of their business and this urges them to create flashy advertisements. The results in the development of an impulse of buying the product
• False imaging also an issue with advertisements which gives the presentation of things and events in an unrealistic manner and children tend to buy it.
• Advertisements lead to develop the materialistic idea of the world in them. When their innocent minds watch the content portraying to grab the best things in life to lead a comfortable life, it may incline children to give unnecessarily importance to material wealth.
• Brand consciousness and empathy towards expensive brands can be developed.
• Mostly junk food items are advertised which are visually appealing. This influence and promote unhealthy eating habits.
• Advertisements can be the leading factor influencing the choice of clothes and toys etc.
• Children may feel lower self-esteem if they don’t own the products that are advertised especially when their friends possess those items.
• Women are shown as sexual object in some advertisements is a cause of worry, as children have impressionable mind and they grow up to think that this is the norm.
• The portrayal of inapt acts like bullying, cheating can make a vulnerable child believe that such behavior is acceptable.

Tips for Parents:

Parents can follow the below mentioned points as tips helpful to overcome the negative effects of advertising:

• Limit the screen time.
• If child asks for a particular object ask him/her why they want it.
• Make sure not to fulfill all demands made by your child.
• If child is demanding for an unhealthy food item, explain by giving the negative effects of such food items.
• Bring the true picture of advertisements, point out the flaws in advertisements.
• Download the program to avoid the watch of advertisements
• Explain your child in learning the difference between wants and needs.

Conclusion:

Children are sensitive and innocent. The Influence of Advertising on Kids can be negative or positive. If you find negative impact then quickly follow the tips shared.