The Effect of Advertising on Children Essay

Every single day we are bombarded with neon flashing signs and distracting words that have the incredible power to fool us into thinking that we still have control over our own consumption while undermining that very belief. In the most populous cities in America, it is impossible to ignore the ads. From the tallest buildings in the United States to the small pop-ups between Instagram posts, advertising has integrated itself into almost every form of medium that is meant to be consumed in any way shape, or form. Marketing has become so efficient and effective that our conscious mind hardly even notices it anymore. Advertising has very few borders that it will not cross, Ketchup companies have profited off of sexist stereotypes, and animal rights organisations have profited off of the struggles of obesity and harmful self-image. Considering how far companies and corporations will go to make a profit, they must also profit off of all of the available markets. Children are not an exception.

Ever since advertising companies started considering children as a viable market of consumers in 1969, they started targeting kids. Whether they knew the consequences of their actions or not, they created a myriad of problems that have had drastic effects on the lives of many. The problem is the content and the intent of the ads. Usually, they are promoting junk food or unhealthy eating habits. The amount of advertising has a direct correlation to the child obesity rates in America. Despite measures to limit minors’ exposure to these harmful ads, they have not worked. When children are exposed to such ads, there is a possibility that girls begin unhealthy dieting, bulimia, and anorexia after seeing unrealistic and unachievable bodies of models in magazines and television. Young men may be subject to images promoting unhealthy ways to gain muscle mass and using unhealthy dietary supplements.

The “child market” is a new term that came to light during the 1970s. Before this time, children were not recognized as consumers. An explosion in advertising through media, newspapers, and magazines occurred so suddenly, that no one could have predicted the dramatic and continuous growth in advertising to children. Two decades ago, 85% of children were exposed to the average youth cigarette brand’s advertisements. These ads made kids and teens feel like smoking would make them popular, sophisticated, or even tough. The tobacco industry will do anything from sweet, fruit-flavoured products to celebrity endorsements to misleading health claims and even to product placement in children’s cartoon characters. Millions of dollars are spent to make sure these ads reach children using their marketing tactics to cover the fact that smoking is the main cause of preventable deaths in America. The American Lung Association states that “Every day, more than 100 kids and teens who had previously been occasional cigarette smokers become regular daily cigarette smokers.”

Physical and mental health are both big factors when discussing the effects of advertisements on children. Certain consumer behaviour is adopted by children due to these advertisements, causing negative impacts on their health. They are faced with constant dissatisfaction when they buy products and are kept trapped in a cycle of disappointing purchases. Digital advertising is shown to kids when they play games, open apps, social media, and anywhere on the internet. Buying decisions are greatly influenced and they might adapt to materialistic feelings. Impulsive buying can happen when children are repeatedly watching ads making them buy products that they don't need. Violence and aggressive thoughts are a result of watched advertisements being misinterpreted and lead to bullying and negative behaviours that can stay with the children until they are adults. They can be affected by comparison between products and companies showing that they can compare themselves to others, they can believe they are superior or inferior to their peers. This behavior might lower their self-confidence, or make them think that they are better than everyone around them.

The bills that have been passed to prevent harmful and damaging advertisements toward children have not done enough and are simply not effective. In 1998, state attorneys settled a lawsuit against tobacco companies, its purpose was to stop the cigarette advertising and marketing practices that were meant to appeal to kids. But, the settlement had no impact on tobacco companies marketing behaviour, they continue to target children. The few things that stopped were billboard ads, merchandise clothes with cigarette logos, and cartoon characters, including Joe Camel. In 1998, before the lawsuit, 85% of children were exposed to popular tobacco ads, after, in 2000, still 82% were exposed. The important point is that there was really no reduction in the advertising. More recently, the Stop Marketing to Kids Coalition came together to advocate for Bill S-228, to prohibit food and beverage advertising directed at children 12 and under. In 2016, the bill was introduced, and three years later the Parliament dissolved causing the bill to die out in 2019.

The best possible solution is to create a series of laws that will better protect children. These laws would require any companies hoping to advertise their products targeting children, then they must go through a review committee. The committee would be government-approved and regulated. There could be internal committees, meaning that a company could anoint its own review committee approved by the government. Or there could be a government committee full of qualified professionals that is funded by the companies that want to advertise to children. Each company would submit its ads and pay a fee to have them reviewed by the committee. This is how the committee would function off of the money from both a small amount of government funding and the funding from the advertising companies.