Analysis Of Children Images Used In Television Advertising

The Use of Children in Advertising

Analysis Of Children Images Used In Television Advertising.

Advertisements are considered as ubiquitous. The extent of advertising has received immense attention and awareness in relation to the types of advertisements shown since traditional times to recent days. The paper will evaluate the way Australian media and advertisers have viewed children as objects in order to utilize them to endorse their brands.

Jarvis. W. (2017). Hashtags’ Boom In Tv Commercials Is Over. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/digital/study-shows-calls-action-strategies-national-tv-ads/309801/.

Teenagers in recent times are being targeted by Coca-Cola’s new campaign known as “Share a Coke” whereby the campaign features prominent names on its bottles, it is regarded a form of advertising to children with immense objectification. This image explicitly depicts the way the teenager is consuming the sugary and carbonated Coca-Cola beverage which has been immensely increasing the level of obesity among children, teenagers as well as young adults (Galbraith?Emami & Lobstein, 2013). However, a majority of most recognized names of children and teenagers of below 18 years have been included in this campaign. As a result, the company has been highly criticized by several parents and health experts in Australia and further raised the concern of developing certain measures to halt such a grave situation of obesity epidemic. The teenager in this image can be viewed of consuming a bottle of this sweetened product which reportedly weighs in at 140 calories per bottle. However, the company has been recently created a lot of disappointed as Coca-Cola has decided to launch their campaign in Tamworth where the rate of overweight and obesity is immensely high with over 70% of the adults in the region suffering from overweight and obesity (Lindsay et al., 2013). As per several obesity reports, the major section of the audiences who view these advertisements are children, teenagers and young adults (News.com.au, 2018). Thus the company strategically implements images of children to endorse their products in order to increase their popularity among their targeted population. However, it must be noted that not only are these sweetened beverages loved by Australian adults but soda or such-drinks like Coca-Cola, Pepsi , 7Up facilitated children, adolescents to restrain them from a well-built and healthy development, as perceived by the marketers of recent era (Skinner et al., 2015). It comes to my dismay that the Australian advertisers during from conventional era to the modern times are still unable to comprehend that these ad visuals pose immense distress situation particularly when it is related to the factors of childhood or teenage obesity (Boelsen-Robinson, Backholer & Peeters, 2015).

Coca-Cola’s Share a Coke Campaign

Habaradas. J…P… (2015). LeapFrog Epic – Android Powered Kid’s Tablet. [Web Log Post] Leapfrog epic. Retrieved from Https://jaypeeonline.net/gadgets/leapfrog-epic/.

Brand marketers in recent times have been developing several new as well as innovative ideas by involving children and further facilitating them to enhance their social development. Leap Frog a renowned organization in Australia providing various educational recreational solutions has been introducing several innovative television advertisements featuring children. The above image unambiguously reflects the way the child of below 10 years is indulged in learning various skills that will assist him to accomplish his potential through this unique and children friendly combination of learning (Habaradas, 2015). Various companies who have been effectively introducing children in endorsing these products are in indirectly establishing their position as well as inclination towards such new and innovative learning combined with fun and personalized experiences. As a result, parents as well as child mental health experts have been raised consistent support towards these brands further encouraging their children to have active participations in such television advertising campaigns.

Bokhari. S. (2017). Advertising for Target and Kmart reflects the real and diverse Australia. Retrieved from https://www.amust.com.au/2017/01/advertising-for-target-and-kmart-reflecting-the-real-and-diverse-australia/.

Brand marketers in contemporary times have been effectively introducing children to the commercial world by facilitating them to develop certain characteristics. The above image depicts four children endorsing the kids’ apparel clothing line of Target, a company based in Australia incorporating a broad range of branded clothing. It can be perceived from the image that the children who feature on the advertisement are immensely contended with their integrated participation with the brand (Jarvis, 2017). The types of clothing provided to each of children have effectively enhanced their individual personalities further elevating their level of self-confidence and attitude. The company with such a strategized endorsement approach has been recognized as one of the leading brands to introduce improved fabric quality suitable for children (Pitt et al., 2016).

Walansky. A. (24 november, 2017). Kinder-Chocolate/Become-the-new-face-of-Kinder-Chocolate. [Web Log Post] Today.com. Retrieved from Https://www.today.com/food/kinder-joy-chocolate-eggs-are-coming-us-t118667.

Kinder Chocolates have been always been a well-recognized and adored brand among children. This has led the company to gather several children for its recent campaign that has been providing considerable rate of attention to children and their preferences. The above image has been effectively revealing the way these two children have been reflecting their imaginative abilities and engage in the role play of superheroes possessing various types of incredible powers and competence level. The company has been acknowledging the abilities of children and at the same time serving them highly nutritious as well as tasty chocolates with creamy filling that aids to accomplish the desire level of children. The image explicitly depicts how the unique packaging has increased the enthusiasm level of the children.

Target’s Children Clothing Line

Dickey. J. (2015). Kids’ TV Ads for Fast Food Work Just as They’re Supposed To. Retrieved from https://time.com/4095517/fast-food-advertising-kids/.

It can be narrated from the above image the way fast food or unhealthy food items have been targeting a wide array of young children and adults. Burgers or such similar food item brands have been strategically targeting children for their brand marketing and promotional activities to enhance their brand recognition among this particular age group. Though such companies claim to have introduced items of high nutritional value, yet there has been a significant rate of obesity among children in recent times. The image reveals the way the child has been intensely indulged into the food and adores its taste.

News.com.au. (2016). Paddle Pop Twirly Pop ad breaches children’s advertising standards. Retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/media/paddle-pop-twirly-pop-ad-breaches-childrens-advertising-standards/news-story/78d094f4622097c905dd164ba2f1ebbd.

The above image is perceived as an apparently childlike picture that features two young children. The advertisement image further reveals the level of exhilaration and happiness on their faces regarding the treasure chest. The advertisement further depicts the way these two children on the beach have discovered a treasure chest with a paddle pop ice-cream inside it. However, he way the company has been promoting such sweetened and unhealthy food products must be noted over here which has further been leading to increased rate of unhealthy sweet consumption and thus leading to obesity among children of this group.

Visual images of children in endorsements and advertising are derived originally from early product packaging styles particularly in Australian regions. Products like chocolates and soaps, beverages and learning products are being endorsed by children and teenagers that have receiving both criticisms and encouragements (Galbraith?Emami & Lobstein, 2013). Advertisements and commercials introduced by marketers in recent times have been encouraging children in various domains of products that have facilitated children in increasing their social development as well as assisting them in comprehending their families (Wu et al., 2013). Children who suffered from early lower level of social involvement have been enjoying their roles in participating in these television advertisements. For instance, the image of the Coca-Cola advertisement which has been explicitly reviewed the way children as well as adolescents have been intensely indulgent in the consumption of sweetened beverages which might pose severe threats to the health development of children further leading them to obesity disorders or high level of diabetes. While on the contrary, the advertisements of Leap Frog and Target depict the way brand marketers have been introducing innovative ideas and concepts to enhance the level of social development and confidence among children. Furthermore, brands like Paddle Pop and other fast food companies have been engaged in advertisement breaching as such sweetened or unhealthy products have been leading the young generation into high rate of obesity and risk associated life. On the other hand, companies like Kinder chocolate has been effectively developing the hidden abilities of children by offering them with exciting toys and items along with eye catching packaging ideas in order to gather the attention and love of the young children by further providing them with healthy and nutritious chocolates.

Kinder Chocolate’s Superhero Campaign

Endorsements involving young Australians initially appeared during the 1870s at the time when lithography was initially been utilized in order to print trade cards. In addition to this, other products like soap and cosmetics were launched that explicitly demonstrated Aboriginal Australians as unhygienic and socio economic background by using the images of aboriginal children. The initialisation of the 20^th century till the middle of 1960s, endorsements of products employed stereotypical visuals of these children which was considered as pervasive across the Australia. Few images used during that time, had gained so much of recognition that they have been utilized on products in recent times (Morrow, 2011).

The early years of children are always regarded as formative and as one of the most enduring as well as influential factors that change the policies of childhood period. These foundation years have certain relation with programmes that have used with involvement in social or economic limitations. These formative years have found important meanings within the claims proposed by John Locke related to the ‘tabula rasa’ with a host of significant and dominant early childhood reformers and pedagogues during these centuries (Woodhead, 2006). Several investigations on early brain development is essentially important in gathering attention to the prenatal stage. The very initial phases of life focus on the vital significance of sufficient nutrition, responsive care along with the encouraging environment during effective and qualitative alterations in development. It is important to note that the ‘generalized’ growth and development of a child fail adequately to encourage the assortments in the lives of young children. It further witnesses the prominent differences in the way childhood is comprehended and experienced and applied to sections of young children in relation to their demographic factors. Certain intercultural investigations have exercised as a resolution to factors related to de contextualisation, idealisation as well as normalization of certain child development practices. Child growth is generally considered as social and cultural, and further has evaluated ways children have been taught into the communitarian domain of learning. Identifying development as a factor of socio-cultural procedure has significant implications for regulations, curriculum and pedagogy (Morrow, 2011). Rather than viewing formative childhood stages as universalized, decontextualized procedure of progressing towards a pre-conceived maturity level, it further magnetizes towards the involvement of a set of settings, associations, functions and expertise whereby they obtain culturally positioned expertise and identities. Such notions concentrate to the ways formative childhood years has been structured and further restructured by young children and for children (Pitt et al., 2016).

Fast Food Ads Targeting Children

Early childhood practices have been changed by stages of human actions and innovation that are further nurtured by situational circumstances, opportunities and disruptions by several discourses of children’s needs and desires. As a result, certain specification and requirement by early childhood services, curriculum as well as pedagogy would have expected reproduce of certain amalgamations of formative years of children of cultural suppositions (Woodhead, 2006). It is important to note that growth and development is perceived about the acquisition of cognitive tools as well as cultural skills and expertise regarded as entities of human civilization which are forms of discussion with advanced detailed information technology. These are considered as adaptive to particular socio-economic circumstances as well as historical periods. It is witnessed that each community’s valued competence constitutes the local objectives of growth and progress. In recent times, several psychologists have argued and further challenged the notion that defining quality should be viewed as a practical question of integrating the diversity of discussions that shape the foundation level of the children.

It is important to note that the concerns related to risks and challenges that have impact on children and youth generation in a direct or indirect approach through the use of their visuals and images specifically shown on television advertisements have been raised by several administrations, governments and the community both globally and in Australia (Thomas et al., 2014). AANA, (Australian Association of National Advertisers) is considered as a practice policy on managing images of children and the youth has posed immense commitment in enhancing the best industry function that further facilitates a secured environment for children and youth generation (Aana.com.au, 2018). Core to its obligation is that Australian advertisers or marketers take all reasonable guidelines in order to safeguard children and teenagers from inadvertent, unintended and unsuitable usage of their visuals, which have been created for advertisement or endorsement purposes and often for marketing communications. AANA must be implemented in order to have the right to freedom of expression and participation in the media that include aspects of advertising, marketing, and further should not own any authority unjustifiably restrained because of the inappropriate actions and operations (Aana.com.au, 2018). Enhancing the awareness of the authorities of children and the advancement of children’s rights is a confrontation to Australian media. In recent times, media has been playing a significant role in promoting public knowledge and awareness of children’s rights. The way the media has been depicting children has an insightful and profound influence on society’s attitude to children as well as childhood.

Breaching Children’s Advertising Standards

Conclusion

Therefore, from the above discussion it can be concluded that the images of children from recent days are been consistently used to endorse several brands such as Coca-Cola’s ‘#Share A Coke’ TV ad, Australia “Target” TV commercial and Leap Frog TV advertisement “Child Endorsing Learning Products”, whereby the lives of children in present days have been reflected. Coca-Cola has been involving young teenagers further increasing the levels of obesity among teens in Australia on the other hand, the other advertisements have effectively enhancing the role of children in social development. The paper has further explored the underlying connotations of these advertisements by explicitly interpreting the images. Furthermore, it has effectively observed the view of children that has been promoted through current early childhood pedagogy.

References

Aana.com.au.(2018).Retrieved 20 April 2018, from https://aana.com.au/content/uploads/2014/05/AANA-Practice-Guideline-Managing-Images-of-Children-Young-People.pdf

Boelsen-Robinson, T., Backholer, K., & Peeters, A. (2015). Digital marketing of unhealthy foods to Australian children and adolescents. Health promotion international, 31(3), 523-533. https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/dav008

Galbraith?Emami, S., & Lobstein, T. (2013). The impact of initiatives to limit the advertising of food and beverage products to children: a systematic review. Obesity Reviews, 14(12), 960-974. doi/10.1111/obr.12060

Habaradas. J…P… (2015). LeapFrog Epic – Android Powered Kid’s Tablet. [Web Log Post] Leapfrog epic. Retrieved from Https://jaypeeonline.net/gadgets/leapfrog-epic/.

Jarvis. W. (2017). Hashtags’ Boom In Tv Commercials Is Over. Retrieved from https://adage.com/article/digital/study-shows-calls-action-strategies-national-tv-ads/309801/.

Lindsay, S., Thomas, S., Lewis, S., Westberg, K., Moodie, R., & Jones, S. (2013). Eat, drink and gamble: marketing messages about ‘risky’products in an Australian major sporting series. BMC public health, 13(1), 719. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-13-719

Morrow, V. (2011). Understanding children and childhood. Retrieved from https://epubs.scu.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://scholar.google.co.in/&httpsredir=1&article=1027&context=ccyp_pubs

News.com.au. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/diet/obesity-experts-slam-slurpees-for-their-staggering-sugar-content/news-story/fefd4641391be4ed8cecedc4ed468679

Pitt, H., Thomas, S. L., Bestman, A., Stoneham, M., & Daube, M. (2016). “It’s just everywhere!” Children and parents discuss the marketing of sports wagering in Australia. Australian and New Zealand journal of public health, 40(5), 480-486. https://doi.org/10.1111/1753-6405.12564

Skinner, J., Byun, R., Blinkhorn, A., & Johnson, G. (2015). Sugary drink consumption and dental caries in New South Wales teenagers. Australian dental journal, 60(2), 169-175. https://doi.org/10.1111/adj.12310

Thomas, S. L., Olds, T., Pettigrew, S., Yeatman, H., Hyde, J., & Dragovic, C. (2014). Parent and child interactions with two contrasting anti-obesity advertising campaigns: a qualitative analysis. BMC public health, 14(1), 151. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-14-151

Woodhead, M. (2006). Changing perspectives on early childhood: theory, research and policy (Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 1-43). Retrieved from https://oro.open.ac.uk/6778/1/Woodhead_paper_for_UNESCO_EFA_2007.pdf

Wu, H. K., Lee, S. W. Y., Chang, H. Y., & Liang, J. C. (2013). Current status, opportunities and challenges of augmented reality in education. Computers & education, 62, 41-49. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2012.10.024

Dickey. J. (2015). Kids’ TV Ads for Fast Food Work Just as They’re Supposed To. Retrieved from https://time.com/4095517/fast-food-advertising-kids/.

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