Synthesis Essay On The Influence Of Advertising On Children

Since the realization that children are a huge marketing group, many advertisers have shifted their campaigns to appeal to children's interests. Although critics of marketing to children cite the ability of such advertisements to influence childhood obesity, the reality is that advertisements geared towards children serve to promote positive behavior in children and impact the choices parents make. In the present day, many commercials on television advertise toys, food, and behaviors to children. Through the truth campaign, the American Legacy Foundation aims to positively impact the behavior of children towards smoking. In their commercials, the campaign presents the positive ideals of “independence, rebellion, and personal control” as qualities

With that many children not smoking because of a commercial, it is clear that advertising and marketing towards children has a positive impact. By utilizing such marketing strategies, additional organizations can promote more healthy behavior in children, influencing a brighter future for subsequent generations. Not only does marketing to children influence their own behavior, but such advertisements can also impact the behavior of parents. When children are encouraged “to eat healthily,” they also influence the behavior of their parents (Source B). The desire children have for healthy food advertised to them also impacts the eating patterns of the parents buying the food. Essentially, by marketing to children, advertisers are hitting two different markets: kids and parents. That’s a whole household eating fruits and vegetables instead of junk food. Furthermore, ads that show environmental or social issues are more likely to influence children. Commercials advertising donating $5 a month to feed or clothe a child are likely to resonate more clearly with children, who see someone exactly like them

Around ⅕ of the advertisements directed at children are on the topic of food, while only around ⅛ of adult advertisements are about food (Source A). As such, the influence of marketing unhealthy foods and eating habits is much more extreme for children than their adult counterparts. This disparity in advertisement coupled with the fact that very young children are “unable to evaluate advertising claims” causes harm when the advertisements are not positive (Source C). Companies advertising junk food can then easily influence the choices children make in a negative way, “[distorting] their view of the world” (Source C). Clearly, negative advertising is a problem, but not one that isn’t solvable. Because “children are strongly influenced by” advertisements, the problem isn’t in advertising overall, it’s in what is being advertised (Source E). Activists are currently doing work on voluntary principles for “self-regulation by the food industry” (Source E). Their solution is that the food industry itself needs to realize the impact it has on eating habits and start marketing more healthy foods and realistic expectations. Such changes in advertisement would present a much more positive shift, where advertising influences the behavior of children by encouraging them to make healthier choices. Consequently, advertising is a huge benefit to