According to available scientific studies, children between the ages of 6 and 11 spend on average about 28 hours a month watching television. In total, it is estimated that they watch up to 20 000 television commercials per year at this frequency. There has been a debate in scientific circles since the 1970s about whether children are able to distinguish marketing messages from the traditional television stream. The consensus is that most children acquire this ability when they reach the age of 11. In the real world, however, it is virtually impossible to deny children access to television advertising, nor is it desirable to do so. While some countries, such as Sweden, went some time ago down the route of banning commercial messages altogether at times when TV is mainly watched by younger children, this is only one country among many.
The situation is further complicated as our lives become more technological and digital. Classical television is no longer the only channel through which children come into contact with advertising and marketing. They have smartphones, laptops, tablets and other technologies that not only make it easier to access the marketing world, but they are also products that children want. It is not unusual for children to watch other children in an advertising campaign, which awakens their interest in the latest toys, gadgets or even sweets. And it is logical that the child viewer will quickly identify with the child protagonist and be ready to accept his claims as his own. That's why it's important for marketers to offer them good role models. And regulations are in place to guide them in this respect.
Advertising aimed at children has therefore been the subject of much recent talk, especially in the context of initiatives to legislate to ban advertising, particularly for junk food, fast food and candy, whose manufacturers might encourage children to adopt unhealthy lifestyles. However, this is only one aspect of a much more complex, society-wide problem. Advertising aimed at children has its unquestionable pros and cons, and no one disputes that it must be subject to stricter rules and higher standards for marketers. So what all needs to be taken into account?
Balancing the power asymmetry
Creating advertising campaigns targeting children - not only in the TV environment - is to some extent like navigating a minefield. Marketing to a target group who is very young is generally considered problematic, mainly because children are naive and tend to approach what is presented to them without engaging in critical thinking. In the worst cases, marketing then exploits this weakness to its advantage in order to maximise sales. And, unsurprisingly, the debate in this respect revolves mainly around food and toys.
In this case, one of the main problems is one of balancing power - there is logically no equal relationship between the marketer and the child. Even in the advertising world, the legal term "caveat emptor" is used for these situations, which originally comes from contract (specifically contract) law. It is a kind of information asymmetry in favour of the seller, who may or may not use this advantage to conceal imperfections or other negative features of his own product. For the reasons set out above, such a situation is extremely problematic in the case of children. Particularly if the advertisement neglects the parents as an actor who must also be approached in such cases.
A truly effective and well-balanced advertisement for children therefore has two target recipients - the child and the person responsible for the child. The child is influenced by the strength of the identity of the product itself, while the other is given information that is related to financial and consumer decision-making. Such advertising takes into account the reality that, in order to maximise sales, it is necessary not only to arouse the child's interest but also to convince their legal representatives that it offers a product in which it is profitable and safe to invest. Advertising aimed at children therefore often uses popular cartoon and animation characters or celebrities who are popular with children and have the potential to shape the views of younger audiences. Subliminality is also a key aspect of this type of television advertising. In addition to the visual scenes themselves, the music used (catchy pop songs and jingles), the dubbing of the characters and the tonality of the voices used in the voice-overs, as well as the overall colour scheme of the presentation are analysed. Unsurprisingly, in this case the synergy of the message and the visual execution is even more important than in the case of advertising for adults.
Don't call a psychologist for help
Over the past few years, it is not uncommon for marketers to actively use the services of specialist psychologists when creating advertising campaigns. In the case of advertising to children, it is again advisable to consider whether such practice is strictly necessary. While adult consumers are in most cases able to judge why an advertising message has the effect it does, such an ability cannot be assumed for children. The recommendations of the American Psychological Association suggest that the design of advertisements for children should not be based on psychological analysis and that companies should instead take measures to protect children as much as possible.
Companies usually work with psychologists in three areas - using them to ensure that their advertising messages are as effective as possible in terms of values, stakeholders and processes. Marketing aimed at children should keep the values aspect most in mind. In this respect, the right to privacy, transparency, freedom of decision-making or the credibility of the advertising message are often mentioned and must be the main values when designing such a campaign. Given the developmental specificities of children, particularly in the cognitive field, any company working with a child psychology expert runs the risk of knowingly or unknowingly unduly interfering with a child's freedom of decision, which is something to be wary of.
It is true that it is not easy to create a truly balanced advertisement for children. Regulatory authorities around the world are still uncovering advertisements that, even unwittingly, inappropriately target children. Companies then have to deal with the stigma of negative publicity that damages their brand. Therefore, it is always better to avoid such a situation. Below, we offer six recent ads - some managed to meet the challenge with excellence, others had a good original idea but the final execution failed. And in some cases, the creators didn't even know they would run into a problem. But each of them is a lesson in itself about how to approach advertising for children and what to watch out for.
Toys „R“ Us – The Great Speech (2017)
In 2017, Toys "R" Us, an American retailer of toys and other consumer goods for children, decided to become a true voice for what the youngest generations want. To that end, he founded the Today We Play platform to bring proper awareness to a topic that doesn't get talked about all that often. In many ways, children's free time has little to do with the concept of leisure. Even in hectic times, many parents approach playtime in such a way that it must have precisely defined intervals and the activities must be organised to the minute. However, freedom to play is one of the key prerequisites for healthy and natural development, and it is one of the areas to which developmental psychology also devotes a great deal of attention. That's why in the Toys "R" Us spot, representatives of the children gather for a sort of "general assembly" where they listen to a fiery speech by a little girl from their own ranks. It's an ad that uses child protagonists to talk about current issues that the recipients of the message - parents - should do something about. In this less than one-minute clip, the company makes a compelling case for why adults shouldn't care whether their child decides to build a spaceship or play soccer with their peers in their spare time. It's their time, and at Toys "R" Us, they want others to respect that.
Video: Toys „R“ Us – The Great Speech (2017)
Spotify – Killer Songs You Can’t Resist (2018)
In 2018, the UK regulator cracked down on the commercial presentation of music streaming platform Spotify - but in this case, it was an ad that wasn't primarily aimed at children. The regulator took action on the spot when it started receiving complaints from parents that Spotify's latest promotion scared them, mainly due to the fact that it was poorly targeted and that it appeared on the YouTube platform next to videos from channels whose subscribers are predominantly young children. The spot, aimed at the 18 to 34 age group, according to Spotify, plays on the well-established horror stereotype of the murdering doll. In the video, a group of young roommates listen to and sing along to the well-known song Havana by Camilla Cabello. The song, however, wakes up the aforementioned doll, who starts to capture and murder the teenagers one by one. However, they are so engrossed in listening to the music that they continue what they are doing, thus allowing the doll to continue its murderous spree. The entire spot ends with the title message - Killer Songs You Can't Resist. This case is clear evidence of how easily generational targeting can get out of hand for marketers, especially on platforms that are subject to the logic of algorithms rather than rigorous scrutiny. Even an arguably innocent misstep can then lead to a great product presentation ending up on an advertising blacklist.
Video: Spotify – Killer Songs You Can’t Resist (2018)
Robinsons Fruit Shoot – It’s My Thing (2018)
Too much of everything is detrimental. And that includes the pressure that parents and society put on kids to find hobbies and interests they'll be good at. On the contrary, when they are allowed the freedom and a child really discovers something they want to dedicate their time to, it's a cause for celebration. That's the basic premise of the advertising campaign for Robinsons Fruit Shoot low-calorie juices with no artificial sugars. The company wanted to convey this ideal to its child and adult audiences, so it offered them three micro-stories combined into one TV spot. It doesn't matter if you're drawn to painting, music, building model railways or a career in sport - it's everyone's free choice in the first place, children included. Fruit Shoot's commercial is characterised by a brisk dynamic, which is also helped by the well-chosen musical background by the band Layup. And what does all this have to do with juices without artificial sugars? Well, with Robinsons Fruit Shoot on hand, not even thirst can stop you from following your dreams.
Video: Robinsons Fruit Shoot – It’s My Thing (2018)
Lego – Rebuild The World (2019)
The Danish kit manufacturer has a huge advantage - its products are loved by people all over the world, whether they're five or forty. Its commercial presentation thus has the effect of a well-known brand name on children and their parents, without the company having to make complicated introductions. In 2019, Lego launched one of its most ambitious campaigns ever, making full use of the potential of all available communication channels. Particularly memorable, then, is a short film called Rebuild The World. It is a micro-story in which we follow a hunter who chases a clever rabbit that escapes into the city. And of course, this is no ordinary city, but one that undergoes massive transformations, illustrating that the world of Lego is not subject to ordinary rules and that creativity is the main factor. That's the main message the company is trying to convey to child viewers - no matter what you're doing, don't lose your imagination, ingenuity or sense of creativity. The main goal of this campaign was to help children realise early that these values matter, and the ad itself achieves this in a playful and visually appealing way. Therefore, there is no consumer call-to-action or even promotion of any particular product line. Indeed, a company of Lego's calibre is well aware that it would be a major disaster for its sales if its customers lost their curiosity and lost interest in exploring new worlds and their endless possibilities.
Video: Lego – Rebuild The World (2019)
Grill’d – Grill’d Vs. Plastic Toys (2021)
Grill'd, an Australian restaurant chain that promotes itself mainly by offering healthy burgers to its customers, set out in 2021 to combat the aggressive marketing of rival fast food chains that target children in their ads and product offerings. But what was originally intended to be a contribution to the debate about the inappropriateness of junk food advertising has turned into an incredible misstep that has tarnished the company's reputation. The aim of the cartoon clip was to illustrate the unethical way in which the biggest fast food outlets pander to child customers with special menus that include toys (McDonald's popular Happy Meal is probably the first to come to mind). How was the advertising inappropriate in particular? The eponymous hero - a burger from the Grill'd menu - saves two children in a deserted alley from a bully who, not coincidentally, looks a lot like Ronald McDonald. The lookalike is wearing a long coat in the spot, and the ad suggests that he is revealing himself to the children because his coat is stuffed with plastic toys from Happy Meal. It didn't take long for the public to reach a consensus that depicting sexual coercion and violence against children in advertisements (albeit in innuendo) is not exactly the best strategy to combat the pandering, child-oriented marketing of fast food chains. It is an example of how a relatively good and spirited idea can quickly go awry and serve the exact opposite purpose to that intended. As a result, Grill'd has apologised for the ad campaign and promised to edit the content so that it does not come across as extremely offensive.
Video: Grill’d – Grill’d Vs. Plastic Toys (2021)
Dairylea – Cheese Ad (2022)
A relatively new addition to the banned ads is a processed cheese ad from Dairylea from last year. In this case, the criticism was not so much targeted to the message of the ad itself, nor the problems with inappropriate content, but the concern for the safety of children who might try to imitate what they see in the ad. In fact, the spot shows two girls hanging upside down on a jungle gym, one of them consuming the aforementioned Dairylea processed cheese. In this case, the ASA argued that the situation depicted was very risky, as eating food while hanging upside down could cause injury or death by suffocation. It also backed up its position with expert medical opinion from medical experts specialising in childhood injuries. Although Dairylea representatives argued the opposite for some time - that the risk was not that high or that this was the reason the girls' parents were seen in the background of the scene and in control of the situation - neither argument changed the ASA's decision and the ad had to be taken off air. The main reason in this case, therefore, is the so-called copycat phenomenon, to which young children in particular are prone, and which could put their lives in danger if they also wanted to consume cheese with their heads upside down.
Video: Dairylea – Cheese Ad (2022)
As you can see, creating advertising content for children is definitely not an easy discipline. Marketers have to be very vigilant not to fall foul of any of the many ethical rules when creating campaigns. And it's far from just food and toy companies that are most often mentioned in this context. It certainly doesn't mean that all child-oriented advertising should be lumped together - it is still a relevant marketing area that is an essential part of the business world. You just need to remember that the ethical boundaries are shifting in this case, and that what you can get away with in the case of adults can be a huge problem in the case of children, which will irrevocably tarnish your reputation.
