Advertising directed at children is estimated to be worth over $2 billion in Canada. And, unfortunately it works well.
A new study just published in the journal Psychology & Marketing reports that three-year-olds recognize product brands and what they symbolize. Researcher Bettina Cornwell, a professor of marketing in sport management at the University of Michigan, found that kids between the ages of three and five show an “emerging ability” to use ads to judge which products will be the most “fun” and make them popular, even though they are unable to read. “Not only do they understand what the brand is, they understand that this is something they can use in their day-to-day lives.” says Cornwell.
The researchers showed 38 children logos for 50 brands like Coca-Cola, Looney Toons and Band-Aid and asked, “Have you seen this before?” and “What types of things do they make?” as well as other questions about the products’ value. The average recognition rate was 39 per cent, and the most commonly recognized brand was McDonald’s (93 per cent), followed closely by toys such as Lego (75 per cent) and soda products. Fast food was described by the three to five-year-olds as “fun, exciting and tasty.” Cola brands were fun because “the bubbles are fun” and “lots of people like them.”
The researchers also showed another 42 children a board featuring brand logos, including McDonald’s, and asked them to pick out images associated with the company – a French fry box, “drive thru” sign and the character Hamburglar. Many of the children were able to match the logos with products.
This is good news for marketers, but not such good news for kids and their parents. Other researchers have suggested that marketing is a factor in the childhood obesity epidemic and encourages eating disorders, precocious sexuality, youth violence and family stress.
A study of materialistic values among children by psychology professor and author Tim Kasser found that materialistic children are less happy, have lower self-esteem and report more symptoms of anxiety and less generosity. The study also found that more materialistic children report engaging in fewer positive environmental behaviors such as reusing paper and using less water while showering.
Another study, reported by sociology professor and author Juliet Schor, found that for children, “High consumer involvement is a significant cause of depression, anxiety, low self-esteem and psychosomatic complaints. Psychologically healthy children will be made worse off if they become more enmeshed in the culture of getting and spending. Children with emotional problems will be helped if they disengage from the worlds that corporations are constructing for them.”
Cornwell and her co-authors want lawmakers to take a closer look at fast food branding aimed at young children, and to consider regulating it. But there is much that parents can do to help kids avoid or withstand the effect of corporate advertising. A good place to learn more is the Ottawa-based Media Awareness Network.
Adapted with permission from Natural Life Magazine, which publishes articles about natural parenting, unschooling, green living, organic gardening, simplifying life, sustainable housing, and more in print and digital formats. It is a Canadian magazine with international readership, and was founded in 1976. Visit their website at www.NaturalLifeMagazine.com to learn more.
Andrea Cameron is a mother and teacher living in eastern Ontario. She writes a regular column for her local weekly newspaper and is the author of Natural Life Magazine’s Natural Family column. In her most recent column, she writes about how she hopes we are able to solve the climate change problem so that she can share her love of the far north with her young son…and not have to apologize for being part of its demise. Her article begins,
