How Advertising Targets Children

Celebrity endorsements can boost sales of some products tremendously. Well-known athletes or actors can persuade children to jump on the bandwagon because the product becomes associated with the characteristics of the famous individual. This is a celebrity endorsement. Children with great imaginations believe they will develop the athletic skills of a soccer star if they drink a certain sports drink or will be as famous as their favorite television star if they wear a particular brand of clothing.

As an extension of celebrity endorsements, character association is another marketing tactic. With character association, advertisers create a fun, cute, and likable character that is linked with a certain product. Take for example the Lucky Charms leprechaun or McDonald's mascot Ronald McDonald. Advertisers market not just the product but the character tied to it, which further expands their marketing reach.

Finally, advertisers are extending their influence into education. Companies will provide school districts and classrooms with electronic equipment (such as computers and tablets), food contracts, and incentive programs as a means to sell their products to children and their families. Companies are also willing to sponsor large events for school districts, which cuts costs for the school, all while allowing the advertising company access to consumers they may not have otherwise reached. This is obviously more controversial in some circles, but it nevertheless remains an effective method of advertising for many companies.

All right, let's take a moment or two to review. As we learned, advertisers use a variety of methods to target children, from the obvious to the oblique. Pester power involves children nagging their parents until they get what they want. Buzz marketing occurs when advertisers rely on word of mouth (particularly via social media) to sell products.