Abstract
Advertisement is a way of communication preferred by companies so as to communicate with their target audience. Nowadays, children account for a large number of consumers worldwide, having their own preferences in terms of fashion, toys, foods, and television channels. One of the most important aspects of advertisement is the appeal. This chapter deals with the appeals mostly used in children targeted advertisements and analysis their content. In total, 334 advertisements were analyzed through content analysis method. The findings of the study show that emotional appeals are far more commonly used than rational appeals. Specially in toy advertisements, the joy/happiness sub-appeal is preferred more than the other sub-appeals. As for the use of rational appeals analyzed, it appears that the price sub-appeal tops the list.
TopBackground
Advertising is paid for and, as such, is part of the economic arrangements that characterize most free markets and capitalist societies in the world where goods and services are exchanged and consumption is encouraged (Young, 2008: 407). In order to persuade the target audience to purchase their products/services through advertisements the advertisers need to use many different channels in order to stay in touch with their target audience. Television, magazine, radio, social media and cinema are some of these mediums.
A research carried out in 2005 in United States showed that children tend to spend an average of 3 hour/day in front of the television. This figure amount to more than 1,000 hours in a year (Stitt & Kundel, 2008). Today, there is no doubt that these figures have increased. Apart from this, it is known that advertising is a way for children to stay connected with their environment. Therefore, for the companies produce goods for children, there should be no difficulty in making their products known to its target audience (Schneider, 1987: 9).
Television attracts a large market share of the youngest media users and audiences (Mjos, 2010). For this reason television advertising remains a major delivery system for marketing to children (Young, 2008: 410). In the past, commercials targeting to children were limited to satellite and exclusive cable TV channels; however, today children have their own television channels in just about any ordinary and non-exclusive network. One of the main motivating factors for children-targeted marketing is the increase in the demand for this target audience. In the United States alone, there are more than 75 corporations that produce goods for children. Some of these are, Kellogg’s, Hasbro, Hershey’s, Mars, M&M’s, Warner Communications, Burger King and McDonalds (Schneider, 1987:7). The goods produced by these large corporations also find their way to several countries worldwide. Some of these products are, toys, fashion, fast-food, candies, breakfast cereals, children programs, etc.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Boys: Refers to a male child, in the years of age between 2-12.
Target Audience: Refers to a specific people that advertisements wanted to attract.
Girls: Refers to a female child, in the years of age between 2-12.
Children Television Network: Refers to the channels which included television programs aimed only to children.
Appeal: Refers to the use of attractive visuals or verbs in an advertisement to take attention of the target audience.